Sorry for the Delay

Vincenzo is a 30 year old man stuck in a comfortable rut, living in his mother's apartment with a casual disdain for work or big changes. He drifts through days defined by small pleasures and half baked plans, resistant to responsibility. Then he meets Anna, and something unexpected begins to crack his routine. A spark of romance pushes him to confront the gap between his dreams and the life he half pretends to want. The film follows his awkward attempts to keep the relationship afloat without losing the easy pleasures that have defined him. As feelings deepen, he is forced to choose between excuses and real commitment, with the people around him watching and reacting and the risk grows gradually.

Released in 1983 Scusate il ritardo was directed by Massimo Troisi with a screenplay by Troisi and Anna Pavignano. The film sits in the Italian comedy tradition, blending intimate character work with warm restrained humor and working class Naples today.

Box office figures for Scusate il ritardo are not widely published, and there is little public record of its worldwide gross. The film remains more noted for its reputation than for a blockbuster performance and enjoyed modest international distribution globally.

The film showcases Troisi's laid back, human scale humor and the way everyday life and love intersect in Italian society of the early 80s. It helped solidify his reputation as a performer who crafts precise, humane comedy that resonates beyond the screen, influencing a wave of later RomComs and filmgoers.

Critics praised the film for its gently comic approach to laziness and responsibility, rendered through a believable, affectionate ensemble. The central themes revolve around growing up and accepting accountability in love, showing that romance can spur real change rather than offer a quick emotional fix. The tone stays humane throughout.