I totally agree with what the only other reviewer of this film has commented. Indeed, the lack of comments, though no fault of the film itself, is a comment on its own. Maybe the distributors of this film went somewhere awry while marketing it, because I thought it was a really decent film, with some good acting that would have certainly garnered more audience, not to mention, appreciation. Armand Assante seemed as much at home in his character as if he had always been a chart-topping singer(albeit a one-hit wonder) in his heydays. Credit also goes to the director Martin Davidson who, I can say, managed convincingly to create the whole set-up - Vince, his fellow-crooners and their issues, Vince and his daughter and her evident problem and Vince and his son Anthony and the conflict therein. I have long admired Davidson's 1989 film 'Heart of Dixie'. It had some marvelous performances by Ally Sheedy and Treat Williams and the 1960s American South was evoked in all its pathetic beauty.
The music of this film is certainly one of its attractions. Little snippets of songs, apparently sung by Vinnie and the Dreamers are played at the right moments to enhance the film's aura. Diane Venora's performance was aptly charged. And so was Edoardo Ballerini's. His scene with Assante in the hospital where the latter breaks down is the emotional tear-point of the film(both for the characters and the audience). The other high point is of course Anthony's solo of 'This I Swear'. If that was Ballerini's own voice up there, then boy, he should think of a probable career switch! The only other film I've seen Edoardo in is in the zany John Leguizamo-starrer 'The Pest' in which he convincingly put on a German accent(adding much to the humor of the film) to play Himmel, the "sissy" son of a crazed neo-Nazi! He's an actor of great potential - which I hope is fittingly explored through many other good roles. With its music, a cast that has rendered good performances and a feel-good ending, 'Looking For an Echo' is definitely worth a watch.
