Actually, it is based on the director's friendship with a friend growing up in Italy. I think he mentions that for the plot of his story.
Jacob is not an unattractive person and he sort of reminds me a bit like a young River Phoenix. I mean, he has two new films in the works like The Toxic Avenger with Peter Dinklage, Kevin Bacon, Elijah Woods, and Julia Davis; not to mention Bear Season with Luke Evans! He is one busy dude.