When Joe Mantegna read the script for his current Chicago-based project,
“Uncle Nino,” it was another classic case of art imitating life.

“The story rang true to me, being from Chicago, this story could have been
my life story in a way,” Mantegna said.

“Uncle Nino,” written and directed by Bob Shallcross and produced by David
James, will wrap shooting in Chicago and its suburbs later this week. The
indie feature, which began shooting last month...

The family film centers around the “perfect” American family – the Micelli’s. 
The parents (played by Mantegna and Anne Archer) and two kids live in
their perfect American home (in Glenview, Illinois’ The Glen subdivision)
and go about their perfect American lives with such drive that they forget
to smell the roses.

Enter Robert Micelli’s Uncle Nino from Italy (played by L.A.-based actor
Pierrino Mascarino), whose presence changes the family for the  better.
Uncle Nino brings the Micellis lots of laughs and the message that family is
what’s truly important.

“He could have been my Uncle Nino,” Mantegna laughed. “It was eerie in some
ways.”

Eerie right down to the cast, in fact.  Mantegna’s own daughter, Gina, in
her feature film debut, plays his character’s daughter in the film.

“This script was so close to my life, my daughter’s character was even named
Gina,” he said. “It doesn’t shock me that she has leaned towards this
business. It’s natural for her. It’s what she’s grown up with. Working with
her has turned out to be just like living with her, except they say action.”

Mantegna’s son is played by 15-year-old Trevor Morgan, who has had roles in
“Jurassic Park III,” “The Patriot” and “The Sixth Sense.”

The idea for the film came to Shallcross while producing and directing
Barilla pasta spots in Italy with James....

“The idea came out of seeing Italians ask about what Americans are all about
and vice versa,” James explained. “This [Chicago] seemed like a logical
place to work. Joe is from Chicago and it was appealing for him to be able
to come back to Chicago and work...”