I’ve always thought that a movie can’t be truly great unless it brings out your emotions. Life is Beautiful has the power to make you laugh hysterically, but also cry your eyes out. Despite my beginning fears of a foreign film, this movie is going on my list of all-time favorites.
I heard so much about this movie when it was in theaters, but I never believed any of it. It looked like a chick flick, and the fact that it was in sub-titles kept me as far away from seeing this movie as possible. I continued hearing great things about it, and watched it win several awards, but I still wouldn’t go see it. It was by chance that the other day a buddy of mine rented the DVD. I was bored, so I watched it with him.
This version was dubbed, and dubbed very well. At times it was hard to tell it was dubbed, because the voices were done in Italian accents and it seemed to fit the mouth movements closely. Roberto Benigni was perfect for the role he played. His eccentric and happy personality fit great with the first half of the movie, where he comically wooed the girl (Braschi Nicoletta). I found myself laughing hysterically at his attempts. The Movie skips forward several years to when they have a kid. He continues his comedy routine to woo the audience. By now I am in love with this guy. He is hilarious, and an excellent husband and father. The point of the first half of the movie was for the audience to fall in love with him, so that he gets a huge amount of sympathy when the movie changes moods.
Soon, the authorities come to take him and his son away. His wife is not a Jew, but she goes along anyway because she wanted to be with them. They get taken to a concentration camp, where we are shown the harsh life in the camps. Roberto Benigni continues his humor, as he tries to convince his son that the camp is actually a great place, and that this was all planned for his birthday. As the time in the camp continues on, the mood of the movie gets more and more sad. I’ll stop there because I don’t want to ruin the movie for any of you. I strongly recommend you watch this, because at the end, you will realize that life is truly beautiful.
Roberto Benigni accomplishes the impossible in his World War II comedy Life Is Beautiful: he shapes a simultaneously hilarious and haunting comedy out...More at eCOST.com
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