Three brothers, three lonely souls in search of affection. Francesco, known as Cico, the eldest, has a form of high-functioning autism: he can manage extremely complicated tasks but doesn’t know how to tie his shoelaces; he shouts ‘it’s snowing, it’s snowing’ when he’s happy and devours mashed potato to ease his anxiety. Stefano is the most ‘normal’ of the three: a university graduate, he works as a stockbroker and is about to marry Nora, even though, after a year, their relationship is still confined to telephone calls, under the watchful eye of his strict future mother-in-law. Enzo, the idler, is the immature young man who fancies himself a musician but whose guitar case contains nothing but the essentials for travelling.
The story begins with Enzo’s return to the family home. Their mother has died and the solicitor reads the will to the three Righi brothers: to divide the substantial inheritance, they will inevitably have to stay together. But how will Stefano manage to get married? And what about Enzo, who plays on ships? Yet no one can leave Cico on his own. Who will look after their ‘different’ brother? And will he find a way not to lose the only family he has?
Amidst an atmosphere where this forced cohabitation sparks irresistible comedy, the sometimes cruel reality of human needs occasionally rears its head: the need for peace, for money, for affection. It’s the life we all lead.
