La Dolce Villa (2025), directed by Mark Waters, is a charming comedy-drama starring Scott Foley as Eric, Violante Placido as Francesca, and Maia Reficco as Olivia, alongside Giuseppe Futia, Simone Luglio, Tommaso Basili, and Alessandra Carrillo. The film follows Eric, a seasoned restaurant consultant, who travels to a secluded Italian town to prevent his daughter Olivia from purchasing a picturesque villa—convinced she’s fallen for an elaborate scam. However, as he navigates the quirks of small-town life and its colorful residents, Eric soon discovers that the truth may be far more complicated than he ever expected.
La Dolce Villa (2025) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
Why is Eric Travelling to Olivia?
Eric is a hardworking and determined middle-aged man who takes great pride in his work. He rarely takes vacations, but this time, he’s making an exception to travel to a remote town in Italy. To Eric, this place feels cursed. The last time he was there, he lost his passport. When he and his wife went on their honeymoon, it rained nonstop, and they both caught the flu. So why is Eric going back? Eric is on the way to Italy to stop his daughter, Olivia. She’s in Italy to buy a villa for just one dollar, and Eric is convinced it’s a scam. In his mind, there’s no way anyone in their right mind would sell a villa for that price without a catch. Sooner or later, Olivia will be asked to pay more, and when that happens, it could drain her savings.
When Eric learns that Olivia has to put down a $5,000 deposit on the house, he is convinced it’s a scam. But Olivia reassures him that the amount is fully refundable, so there’s nothing to worry about. She is hell-bent on buying the house, not just because it’s a great deal, but because her late mother was half-Italian. Being in Italy—and possibly owning a home here—makes her feel more connected to her roots. After touring dozens of rundown villas, Olivia finally finds one that isn’t as broken down as the rest. She falls in love with it, and the sale is finalized. Seeing how much it means to her, Eric decides to stay and help with the renovations.
How are Olivia & Eric Different from Each Other?
Eric was once a passionate chef who loved cooking. However, after his wife passed away, he left the kitchen behind and switched to corporate life as a restaurant consultant. Though he’s successful in his new career, he still misses the days when he cooked with love. He is yet to reignite that passion. According to Olivia, her father has become boring. He finds no real joy in life and buries himself in work instead. Unlike Eric, Olivia embraces life. She loves to travel, meet new people, try new things, and seek adventure. That’s exactly why she believes buying and renovating an Italian villa is the perfect idea.
Olivia feels like her father still sees her as his little girl, the one he used to buy dolls and chocolates for. In Eric’s eyes, she’s not old enough to handle the responsibilities of owning a villa and all the challenges that come with it. Because of this, Eric suggests they renovate the house, flip it, and sell it for a profit. Olivia refuses as she has no intention of selling. She plans to stay in the villa and run it herself. This leads to a discussion, where Olivia tells Eric to return to the city and stop trying to change her mind.
How Does Itlay Change Eric?
Staying in Italy does Eric some good. It slowly brings him out of his grumpy shell and helps him rediscover his sense of fun. On his first day, he meets Francesca, the town mayor, who oversees the sale and renovation of the houses. Like Eric, Francesca also lost her spouse and is now single. Her late husband, Alessandro, was also a mayor, and taking on the role herself is her way of honoring his memory.
As the days pass, Eric and Francesca become good friends. They go on picnics, crash a private event just to enjoy an overpriced coffee, and share countless little adventures. Whenever Eric isn’t busy with renovations, he visits Francesca—either at her office or while she’s out and about in town. They get even closer when Francesca invites Eric to her best friend’s beachside birthday party.
When Eric discovers an old brick oven in the villa, instead of tearing it down, he decides to turn it into a commercial kitchen where locals can teach cooking classes. He sees it as a brilliant idea, something that could attract tourists while benefiting the community. Whenever he gets a break from renovations, Eric visits Rio’s restaurant and spends time cooking. He shares his idea about the cooking classes with Rio and asks if he’d be interested in teaching a few. Little by little, Eric starts reconnecting with his passion for cooking. He also befriends the “Three Antonios”—a trio of women who are always found sitting in the town square. Given their love for baking and years of experience, Eric offers them a chance to teach pastry-making at the villa kitchen, which they happily agree to.
Why Does Olivia Wish to Go to Rome?
Olivia lands an apprenticeship with a talented interior designer named Carlo. However, she hesitates to tell her father, worried he’ll criticize her for not sticking to one thing. But to her surprise, Eric fully supports her decision, assuring her that she’ll excel no matter what career path she chooses. Eric also opens up to Olivia about dating Francesca, though she has already figured it out. He had been hesitant to tell her, fearing she might think he was trying to replace her mother. However, Olivia is just happy to see her father enjoying life again. Seeing how much Italy has changed him, how he’s started to live, laugh, and find joy in cooking again, she suggests that he stay and pursue his passion.
La Dolce Villa (2025) Movie Ending Explained:
Did Eric & Olivia Get the Villa Back?
When Bernardo learns that Francesca and Eric are dating, he becomes jealous and brings in Larry and Tracy Longo, who claim to be the rightful heirs of Mario’s villa. They present paperwork to back their claim and now want the villa back, especially since it has been fully renovated. Because Italy has strict inheritance laws, Eric and Olivia have no legal claim to the villa, despite investing thousands into its renovation.
To avoid legal trouble, Eric meets with Larry and Tracy and offers to hand over the property on the condition that they reimburse Olivia for the money she spent on renovations. The couple agrees. However, Francesca later learns from the three women in town that Larry and Tracy aren’t actually the rightful heirs. The entire situation was a mix-up due to a misunderstanding in the surname. Just as Eric is about to board a train to Rome, Francesca stops him, telling him that he doesn’t need to leave after all.
As the film comes to an end, life returns to normal. The villa is fully restored, looking as good as new. Eric successfully incorporates cooking classes into his business. He decides not to return to the city but instead stays in Italy, running his business and rediscovering his passion for cooking. Eric and Francesca make their relationship public, though most people had already guessed they were in love. Meanwhile, Olivia chooses to move to Rome to study under Carlo, the interior designer. As for Bernardo, the betrayer, he leaves town and takes a new job in Milan—far away from Eric and Francesca.
