RamblingSimon Reviews: Life is Beautiful

For the longest time, this space has been used to show off my cynicism, my hatred for mankind, and my snobbish witty bastard side. I guess all good things do come to an end...

Don't worry, this post is the only thing being altered, not my oh-so-lovable personality or future rants. The reason this change is taking place is because tonight I saw the 1997 Italian film 'Life is Beautiful'. I was naturally skeptical when my roommate told me of this wonderful Holocaust film, mostly because he's a hardcore indie pop fan, rendering his opinion utterly useless. However, when I actually watched the film, something amazing happened...

I couldn't find anything to really hate about the film!

The first half of the film takes place in Italy in the beginning stages of WWII, focusing on Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni - Oscar for Best Actor for said role), a Jewish man who moves into the city to open up a bookstore. On numerous occasions, he encounters a woman named Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), whom he admits his love for, but finds out at a big reception that she is to be wed. The first half of the film becomes a very slapstick romantic comedy of Guido trying to win over Dora, usually with amazingly clever ploys and expert timing.

The second half of the film takes place years later, when Guido and Dora have a son together, Joshua (Giorgio Cantarini), whom is about five years old at the time. Dora comes home on her son's birthday to discover Guido and Joshua were taken away to the concentration camps. Unlike most Holocaust films, this one takes a completely different angle with how the story is told inside the camps. The entire time Guido and Joshua are in the camp, Guido continuously makes up stories to protect his son from the hellish truth that they could be killed off at any moment. Guido's quick-wit explanations to Joshua, such as telling him they are playing a game and can win a brand new tank if they earn enough points by doing certain tasks, keeps the audience feeling that even the most depressing scenario can be happy and uplifting.

I might still be on the buzz from the experience, but I think that this is by far the best movie I have seen in the last year. The ending leaves you experiencing a range of emotions, but ultimately satisfied.

Let's put this simply: if you enjoy watching films at all, this is a must-see.

4.5/5

And just so I can be a bastard one last time: the film is in Italian, so there are subtitles, unless, of course, you watch it dubbed. However, if you are not a fan of subtitles or prefer an English dub to watch a film, I think you suck as a human being and deserve to be shot out of a cannon and into a brick wall at point-blank range.