The Love Scam” (originally titled, Mica è Colpa Mia) is a 2025 Italian film directed by Umberto Riccioni Carteni. With an ensemble cast that shines, the movie is headlined by Laura Adriani, Roberto De Francesco, Loris De Luna, Antonio Folletto, Biagio Manna, Vincenzo Nemolato, and more. The film tells the story of two brothers, Vito and Antonello, who find themselves in a desperate situation where their home is on the brink of being demolished, and the only way out is to scam a wealthy woman.
The Love Scam (Mica è Colpa Mia, 2025) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
What Troubles Vito & Antonello Are Dealing With?
The film opens with Vito receiving some long-awaited good news after a tough stretch. After weeks of tirelessly dropping off resumes at stores and shops, he finally lands a job. The position requires him to work seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. It offers a monthly pay of 800 euros plus meal vouchers. However, during the interview, the employers learn that Vito has a newborn son and no one to take care of her while he’s at work. As a result, they withdraw the job offer, leaving Vito back at square one.
Vito lives with his brother, Antonello, who doesn’t have a steady job but makes a little money through small-time scams, like selling fake phones or swapping them with bars of soap. The two share a crumbling apartment in a rundown building that looks like it could collapse any day. Cracks run along the walls, and leaks are everywhere you look. The city hall has repeatedly asked them to move out. But they refuse, insisting this is their childhood home and they’re not leaving. However, other residents don’t feel the same and have started moving out one by one.
Antonello and Vito’s lives are a mess—unpaid bills, an expired license, and now the biggest blow yet. They receive a court letter stating their house will be auctioned in a month. Vito is baffled, but after digging through some envelopes, he discovers the reason: Antonello owes someone named De Lionardi a staggering 50,000 euros. Desperate, the brothers try to contact De Lionardi by sneaking into one of his fundraisers, but the plan goes nowhere. Antonello is convinced it’s pointless to talk to De Lionardi or Marina, believing they’re rich snobs who wouldn’t even notice people like him and Vito. Still, before leaving, Antonello swipes Marina’s cell phone.
Through Marina’s phone, Antonello discovers that she’s heavily involved in charity work—probably to ease her conscience, he thinks. He’s shocked to find out she once donated 10,000 euros to a dog shelter. This sparks an idea. Antonello suggests they use the information from her phone—where she eats, her routine, even how many yoga classes she attends each week—to win Marina’s trust. Once they’ve gained her confidence, they’ll convince her to write them a big donation check. Vito isn’t on board with the plan, but for the sake of his son, he reluctantly agrees.
How Vito Impressess Marina?
No matter how simple Antonello makes it sound, earning Marina’s trust is anything but easy. She’s cautious, doesn’t trust people easily, and always seems irritated like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. The only time she seems genuinely happy is when she lets her hair down and starts cooking. It’s clear Marina might have dreamed of becoming a chef, but her father has other plans. He is pushing her to take over his company, marry a wealthy businessman, and let him retire in peace.
Vito does his best to win her over, shadowing her everywhere and cleverly getting her to cook eggplants and noodles with them. He notices how free and joyful Marina becomes in the kitchen, exactly opposite to her demeanor at work. Seizing the opportunity, Vito even convinces her to cook for a fake charity event, supposedly raising money to build aqueducts in Gambia.
Vito and Marina go shopping for vegetables and ingredients, and it’s clear Marina is happier than she’s been in weeks. There are moments when it seems like Marina might catch on to the scam, but luckily, that doesn’t happen. As they spend more time together, Vito finds himself falling in love with her. The thought of continuing to deceive her becomes unbearable.
Despite being on the brink of losing his home and the custody case for his little son, Napoleon, Vito decides not to accept any money from Marina. However, Marina’s boyfriend eventually discovers the truth and exposes Vito’s scheme. When Marina confronts him, Vito can’t even meet her eyes. “I’m sorry. I had no other choice,” he says. Vito tries to explain everything, but Marina, hurt and furious, cuts him off and asks him to never call her again.
Why do Vito and Marina Agree to Work Together?
Marina’s boyfriend, Federico, has been scheming for years to take control of an apartment building so he can tear it down and replace it with a luxury hotel. This happens to be the same building where Vito and Antonello live. After the foreclosure, De Lionardi’s company purchases the building and moves forward with their plans for a five-star hotel. When Vito confronts Marina about it, she starts investigating and uncovers the truth. Federico had deliberately caused issues in the building like plumbing problems, cracks, and leaks to drive down its value. He then bought the flats for less than half their original price.
Federico made it seem like the building was on the verge of collapsing, pressuring residents to sell their flats for whatever price they were offered. Through this scheme, he pocketed three million euros. To make it all look legitimate, he even bribed city officials to back up his claims. When confronted, Federico denies any responsibility and claims the signatures on the documents aren’t his but Marina’s. So, with no other choice and to protect their individual interest, Vito, Marina, and Antonello decide to join forces to stop Federico and expose the truth.
The Love Scam (Mica è Colpa Mia, 2025) Movie Ending Explained:
Do Vito and Maria Save the Building?
Just as the building is about to be demolished, Marina’s father arrives and stops the city officials, handing the keys back to Vito and Antonello. Like Marina, he had no idea about the extent of Federico’s scheme. If Federico had succeeded, the resulting court case and investigation would have destroyed the company’s reputation, leading to bankruptcy.
With the building now saved, Marina decides to hand the company back to her father and step away. As for Vito and Marina, Antonello knows his brother has fallen for her and wants to help them get together. So, he slips Vito’s phone into Marina’s purse, giving her a reason to return. On the phone is a voice recording where Vito confesses he never intended to take her money and admits he’s fallen in love with her.
When Marina listens to the recording, she realizes that she loves Vito too. He’s the only one who truly understood her, even if it was through a scam. Vito helped Marina see that her true happiness lies in cooking, not designing apartments or hotels. The two reconcile, and Marina decides to open a roadside restaurant, a place where the food tastes like heaven but doesn’t cost a fortune. Their happiness doesn’t stop there. The judge rules in favor of Vito, granting him full custody of Napoleon.
“The Love Scam” is one of the standout Italian films of the year—and for all the right reasons. It offers a delightful blend of humor, wit, and heart that’s sure to capture your attention. The story follows a father and his brother, who, despite their best efforts (and maybe a bit of reluctance), dive into a scam to make enough money to save their family home. It’s the kind of plot that just pulls you in, especially as you watch these two struggle to keep it together while life throws one curveball after another.
Directed by Umberto Riccioni Carteni, who’s no stranger to successful films, “Love Scam” carries the promise of being another gem in his impressive portfolio. The concept of pretending to be someone else in a scam—only to end up falling for the person you’re deceiving—isn’t exactly new. However, the way it unfolds here still manages to feel fresh. It’s one of those stories that you can see coming a mile away, but surprisingly, that works in its favor rather than against it. Sure, the film does lean into a few predictable moments, and it’s that very predictability that gives it a warm, comfortable charm.
That said, the film could definitely have sharpened its jokes and comic timing a bit. There are moments where the humor feels just a tad off, missing that perfect punch. But what saves it is the strength of the characters. These well-written, fully fleshed-out characters carry the film, making you invest in their journey, even when the humor falters. In the end, it’s the heart behind the scam that really wins you over. So, while “The Love Scam” might not be the most groundbreaking comedy of the year, it’s certainly one that leaves you feeling good, with a few laughs and maybe even a little tear in your eye. It’s got all the right ingredients to be a crowd-pleaser.
