Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Ugo Fantozzi has been ejected from Heaven and is sent back to Earth for a short period of time until the staff in Heaven can get Fantozzi a place there. Fantozzi goes through a variety of unfortunate experiences, such as rescuing his retro punk granddaughter Uga, and having to pay a vast telephone bill due to frequent chat line conversations. He ends up getting arrested instead of his ex-boss, who was originally charged with corruption. Just as he is about to enjoy the World Cup Final with Italy, he is called back into Heaven. Can he find peace once again?
Fantozzi The Return is a late-entry installment in the long-running Italian slapstick franchise, and by this point the formula is visibly exhausted. The plot is a loosely connected series of comic vignettes tied together by a thin supernatural framing device — Fantozzi ejected from Heaven and returned to Earth — which feels more like a recycled excuse to revisit familiar gags than a genuine story. Paolo Villaggio remains committed and energetic in the lead role, keeping the acting from falling flat, and the supporting cast delivers adequately within the broad comedic tradition. Cinematography is functional and unremarkable for a mid-90s Italian comedy. Novelty is low: while the original Fantozzi films had a distinctive satirical bite about Italian bureaucracy and the working class, by the ninth installment the concept is thoroughly worn, and the Heaven framing adds little freshness. The ending, which abruptly whisks Fantozzi back to Heaven just as he is about to enjoy a football match, is a mildly bittersweet punchline consistent with the character's eternal misfortune, but it feels rushed and unearned rather than poignant.