This is quite a fun tale that sees the eponymous young lad make friends with a sea creature "Alberto" who is disguised as a boy. Life on the Italian Riviera is pretty much all it's cracked up to be for these friends. They do the odd bit of fishing but for the most part it's pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner interspersed with loads of gelato and fun on the moped. What "Luca" isn't quite prepared for, though, is discovering the true identity of his new friend - nor is he without his own secrets to keep, either! Unsurprisingly, that puts a bit of a strain on things - testing their friendship, loyalty and, ultimately, their priorities. Now of course there's no jeopardy here, but the characterisations are quirkily constructed and there's just a soupçon of teenage romance (with "Giulia") as these two boys become inseparable and build what we hope is a relationship robust enough to survive whatever society throws at them. There are some entertaining supporting roles - the one-armed fisherman uncle and his parents add a richness to the story that is, admittedly, a bit slow off the mark - but it is still one of this studio's more enjoyable family experiences with a message of perseverance and acceptability that is delivered, not laboured. Derivative? Well, yes - it does remind you of quite a few other maritime magical stories, but it's still got enough originality to make it worth a watch.