Line #32 WesternAnimation/CiaoAlberto


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ciao_alberto_poster_credit_disney_3.jpg]]
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3	''Ciao Alberto'' is a 2021 animated ShortFilm follow-up to ''{{WesternAnimation/Luca}}'', directed by [=McKenna Harris=].
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5	It premiered as part of Disney+ Day 2021 to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the Creator/DisneyPlus streaming service.
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7	Set after the events of the movie, the short follows the adventures of Alberto as he settles into his new life in Portorosso and attempts to strengthen his bonding with Massimo.
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9	----
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11	!!''Ciao Alberto'' contains examples of:
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13	* AmbiguousSituation: Massimo's relationship with his father. From the way he explains it, the old man had anger issues by how he ''punched'' a hole into a wall when he was upset at Massimo. Was he [[AbusiveParents abusive]]? Or a [[ParentsAsPeople troubled, but still well-meaning father?]]
14	* AnimationBump: Inverted. The short was able to reuse many of the CGI assets and simulations that appeared in ''Luca''. However new assets created just for the short like the tomato Massimo cuts on his chopping board or the tomato sauce that explodes over the kitchen are notably less detailed than the other assets in use reflecting the more limited time & budget available to the short.
15	* {{Bookends}}: The short film opens with a shot of the sky showing a large cloud and a smaller cloud with some distance between them. It represents Massimo and Alberto's new, but still distant relationship. At the close of the short, the camera [[PanUpToTheSkyEnding pans to the sky]], with the two clouds now right next to each and showcasing the new father-son bond between Massimo and Alberto.
16	* ArtisticLicenseGeography: At the end of the short film, Massimo tells Alberto his boat was once caught in a hurricane with two eyes. While it ''is'' possible for two hurricanes to merge together and gain two eyes (which is known as the "Fujiwara Effect"), those are more common in the Pacific Ocean, while Italy is connected to the Mediterranean Sea. On another hand, it's also possible that Massimo made that story up to impress Alberto.
17	* AsideGlance: On the short's cover, Machiavelli is staring right into the camera.
18	* CallBack:
19	** Alberto's fascination with knives comes back, as he is seen playing with one of Massimo's knives until the latter confiscates it from him.
20	** The song Alberto hums on Massimo's boat is “Largo al factotum” from ''Theatre/TheBarberOfSeville'', which is exactly what Massimo sings during his EstablishingCharacterMoment in [[{{WesternAnimation/Luca}} the movie]].
21	** When rebuilding the boat, Alberto improperly uses a hammer like he did when building the Vespa in ''{{WesternAnimation/Luca}}''. Fortunately this time, Massimo shows him the proper way.
22	* TheComicallySerious: The large, stoic Massimo has quite the dynamic with a goofy kid like Alberto.
23	* ContinuityNod: Some background characters from the movie make silent appearances, such as the Aragosta sisters, Signora Marsigliese and the kid eating gelato that was pushed into the water by Lorenzo.
24	* ADayInTheLimelight: The short is is dedicated to Alberto's new life in Portorosso with Massimo after Luca and Giulia head off to school in Genova.
25	* DidIJustSayThatOutLoud: Alberto gasps and goes speechless after he calls Massimo "dad".
26	* DramaticDrop: Alberto drops his suitcase in shock after he accidentally calls Massimo "dad".
27	* EagerRookie: Since working and living with Massimo, Alberto shows a willing attitude to help him with the business, only for him to make mistake after mistake by trying too hard to show Massimo that he's a good "employee".
28	* TheGlomp: When Massimo talks to Alberto about his father, he offers him a hand to help him up, only to be almost tackled back into a hug by Alberto.
29	* HappilyAdopted: Alberto is officially taken in by Massimo not only as an employee, but as his adoptive son in the credits, which shows Alberto referring to Massimo as his "dad" on a picture.
30	* HeroWorshipper: Alberto clearly sees Massimo as "the coolest human" ''and'' "the best fisherman in the entire world".
31	* InterspeciesAdoption: Massimo (a human) adopts Alberto (a sea monster) as his son at the end of the short.
32	* LimitedAnimation: Mostly Downplayed in that the short uses the same lush backgrounds and character designs from the original film so Pixar is not skimping on that animation. However, the gorgeous (and expensive) transformations from sea-monster to human (and vice versa) that occurred in the film are absent in the short as Alberto's transformations [[TransformationDiscretionShot occur off-screen]].
33	* MyGodWhatHaveIDone:
34	** While most of Alberto's antics are played for laughs, he's clearly shocked and apologetic when he accidentally sets fire to Massimo's boat. He's so ashamed of himself when he sees Massimo's angry glare aimed at him that he attempts to run away, which calls back to Alberto feeling that he is "the kid that ruins everything" back in ''Luca''.
35	** Massimo has one when he realizes his lack of communication is driving Alberto away:
36	--> '''Massimo:''' What are you doing?
37	--> '''Alberto:''' ''(sighs)'' I quit. I can't do it. I'm not good at this! I'm not good at being your... [[LastSecondWordSwap employee]].
38	--> '''Massimo:''' No. ''(tries to take Alberto's suitcase)''
39	--> '''Alberto:''' Why do you even care? You don't even like me. You don't even ''talk'' to me!
40	--> '''Massimo:''' [''struggles to find his words''] Alberto!
41	--> ''(Alberto continues to walk away, until Massimo catches up and places his hand on Alberto's shoulder)''
42	--> '''Massimo:''' Ma Alberto...
43	* NoJustNoReaction: Massimo's reaction to Alberto trying to quit his job and run away is to utter a little, but firm "no".
44	* NotSoStoic: Actually part of Massimo's character development; he's grounded as TheStoic and TheQuietOne, but the short film shows his eyes (hidden under his eyebrows) ''way more'' than in the movie, such as when Massimo sees his boat burning or when Alberto calls him "dad".
45	* ParentalSubstitute: Massimo, of course. The bulk of the story is Alberto trying to improve his relationship with Massimo by doing things that will make Massimo proud of him.
46	* PunchAWall: Discussed by Massimo, whose father once punched an entire ''hole'' into a brick wall so much he was angry.
47	* TheQuietOne: Massimo is not the chattiest person. It can be justified by the fact he was either alone or with the company of adults while Giulia was in Genova in the past years. Now that Alberto lives with him, he aims to break the silence between them by trying to make him proud... HilarityEnsues.
48	* RecordNeedleScratch: Played with. As Alberto is narrating his "life is awesome" montage, we hear a jaunty version of the soundtrack with a violin playing the main melody. When Alberto gets to "Massimo tells me anything", the violin draws sharply against the strings to a ScreechingStop that mimics a record scratch and the scene cuts to Massimo and Alberto sitting in the boat looking at each silently.
49	* RewatchBonus: The story is about Alberto and Massimo coming to terms with their relationship. Alberto keeps saying he wants to be a good "employee" and make Massimo proud. After the WhamLine revelation at the end of the story, all future re-watches makes it very apparent that when he uses the word "employee" he actually means "son".
50	* TheRunaway: Alberto attempts to run away after he accidentally sets fire to Massimo's boat. However, Massimo catches up to him, and after Alberto's WrongNameOutburst he realizes that he needs to open up to Alberto more.
51	* StuffBlowingUp: Alberto attempts to make lunch for Massimo by heating up a can of tomato sauce without opening it first. This leads to an explosion in the kitchen that covers Massimo and the wall behind him with tomato sauce.
52	* StunnedSilence: Alberto and Massimo have this reaction when Alberto accidentally lets his feelings towards Massimo slip.
53	* TailSlap: During the opening "life is awesome in Portorosso" montage, one of the local kids kicks a soccer ball towards Alberto who intercepts it by jumping into the plaza fountain, changing into his sea monster form and using his tail to slap the ball back.
54	* TranquilFury: Massimo remains calm in spite of Alberto's various mistakes when he clumsily attempts to help him. Even when he accidentally sets fire to his boat, all Massimo does is give an angry glare at him, but still keeps it contained. It gets deconstructed as his absence of words cause Alberto to expect the worst, which leads to attempting to run away.
55	* VoiceoverLetter: The short opens with Alberto getting a letter from Luca about his school adventures which is read by Luca. This leads to a "life is awesome in Portorosso" montage narrated by Alberto which we see has been captured in Alberto's return letter.
56	* WellDoneSonGuy: Alberto's goal throughout the short is to make Massimo, whom he sees as a father figure, proud of him. It takes a tearjerking turn when you realize that Alberto desperately seeks for Massimo's approval in spite of his mistakes due to the trauma of his biological father leaving him.
57	* WhamLine: Alberto accidentally sets fire to Massimo's boat and tries to run away. Massimo stops him and is trying to get him to stay even as Alberto says he's no good at being his "employee". This leads to an emotional Alberto revealing his [[WrongNameOutburst true feelings towards Massimo]].
58	--> '''Alberto:''' Just let me go, '''''DAD'''''!

Context WesternAnimation / CiaoAlberto