As there has already been established by a certain Mickey Flanagan, there’s going out, and there’s going “out out”.

We’ve all been there, planning a night of semi epic proportions, that will, more often than not, feature the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. And you know if you have succeeded if you feel truly sorry for yourself the following day.

This Italian film captures the spirit(s), as it were, of such an event, but with a very Italian twist to it all.

In the north-east region of Veneto, Italy, you’ll find two old friends, Carlobianchi (Sergio Romano) and Doriano (Pierpaolo Capovilla). They are both in their fifties, and enjoying themselves a little too much on a night out. And of course it isn’t enough, as they seek one last drink to seal their session.

They decide to drive to Venice, where an old friend of both of theirs is returning home, after spending time in Argentina.

They’re not sure which airport he’s arriving at, but they decide to spend some time waiting for him, in various bars, until his plane lands.

On the way to one such bar, they bump into Giulio (Filippo Scotti), a young student just about to leave his friends – and a young woman he’s crazy about – to go home and rest for school the next day.

Carlobianchi and Doriano scoop him up however, and drag him along for the ride, which turns out to be quite an education for the young Giulio.

Francesco Sossai’s second film, which he also wrote, is an oddball buddy road flick. It has feint echoes of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, with philosophical themes, as well as memories and thoughts about life, but with more movement and far more alcohol.

Theirs is a wonderful relationship, a friendship with a strong bond, with both allowing each other to behave badly for their years, and not judge either for it.

They then meet Giulio, a serious young man, who you feel hasn’t embraced the opportunity to let his hair down and live a little, which is where his two older companions come in.

Their journey is a remarkable one; where two older gentleman give themselves the license to be silly, which does involve a lot of drinking, but also offering life lessons to the young student in their own inimitable ways.

The Italian director almost recruits the audience as the silent fourth member of their party, as we tag along on their Euro antics. And if you’re brave enough, there’s a certainly a drinking game in there somewhere, where you would take a swig every time they do. And if that’s the road you go down, good luck with that.

It’s a wondrous car journey, full of joy, melancholy, friendship and love, that can leave a heartfelt, sobering impression behind as you stare into that empty glass of life, with a tear or two in your eye. Cheers.