An unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all.
A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game.
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The first half of the screenplay is better than the second and in particular the weak ending which is very commercial Oscar material. However, there is Benigni, who is an old school visual comedian, and some of his antics are a delight. The period setting details are also well done.
<em>'Life Is Beautiful'</em> is certainly beautiful (in a sense), but is acutely haunting too. You can see where the film is heading from pretty much the get-go, though that only strengthens the grip that the film had on my mind. Evidently, it's an outstanding piece of filmmaking. I've, of course, seen plenty of flicks that feature this particular historical event, but I gotta say this one had a larger effect on me than is the norm. They are all saddening, obviously, but this one with the young family aspect hit a bit more, it felt more intimate. That's all despite the movie being infused with comedy, the mixing of which is supreme. Roberto Benigni is tremendous in the role of Guido, not only does he convey the aforementioned humour brilliantly but when it comes to the more sombre moments his acting prowess shines through just as much. Giorgio Cantarini shows up with an impressive kid display, while Nicoletta Braschi is very good as well - her penultimate scene stands out most. The stunning score is also a major plus, one part of it kept giving me Andrea Bocelli vibes; probably a lazy connection on my part, given it's an Italian film but hey-ho. My only 'negative' (it's not even a negative, tbh) is the final scene with Guido, which felt a little skipped across and rushed. As intended, just felt a tad odd whilst watching though. A heart-wrenching, yet splendid, 116 minutes, that's for certain.
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