I'm being a bit quiet just now but I'll be back soon
I'm being a bit quiet just now but I'll be back soon
Member since:02.07.2003
Reviews:12
Members who trust:2
Life is beautiful (la vita è bella) Director - Roberto Benigni Italian with subtitles. DVD has option of watching dubbed version but I’d only recommend this if you struggle to read quickly.
I recently borrowed The Pianist from a friend at work and on returning it, I thanked him and commented that I’d really liked the film but was it suitable to say that I’d ‘enjoyed’ a film about the holocaust? He replied that he knew exactly what I meant and went on to ask if I’d seen Life is Beautiful? When I replied that I hadn’t he said “I’ll bring it in, you’ve got to watch it - it‘s so uplifting”. I worried slightly about his sanity. Could a film covering this topic ever be uplifting?
I was on receiving the DVD slightly dismayed to see that it was in Italian with subtitles but not to put off I popped it into the player and off we went.
Story
The film begins when Guido, goes to the city to visit his uncle, and is delighted when he meets Dora. The subtitles do appear fast and furious in the first 45 minutes and it was sometimes difficult to ‘get’ the jokes but it was still very funny. So, the story trundles along quite happily as we realise that Guido is full of fun and enjoying this ‘beautiful life’ with the girl he has obviously fallen in love with.
There are one or two anti-Semitic references in the first part of the movie and I say the first part because there is a sudden turn around when Guido is shipped off to a concentration camp. Here is where there is a difference from other movies about this topic. Without giving away too much of the story, all I can say is that it is how Guido copes with this sudden change in circumstances that makes the movie. Guido’s slapstick style character which was set early on in the film sees him through the awful experiences of the camp. His selfless attitude is almost inconceivable but shows how strong a love can be.Character and setting
The characters, especially Guido seemed to be ‘overacting’ at times but as the film progressed I realised this was an essential part of who he was. The setting was very picturesque even when the journey to the camp began. This provided for a disturbing contrast to be made.
Worth watching?
Most definitely. Benigni has made a film that is so different from any other covering the holocaust. I’ve never quite experienced a film that had me near to tears but that was also incredibly uplifting.
Watch it in Italian if you can but the dubbed version is available as an option on DVD.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
very helpful by (21%):
helpful by (79%):
