Review of Life Is Beautiful (1997) by Jason C — 27 Apr 2013

Looking at the bright side of things is exactly what Roberto Benigni does in the Italian film, Life is Beautiful. As the director and lead actor, Benigni will have you crying with laughter throughout the movie with his comical actions and remarks. Produced in 1997, Life is Beautiful had the power to make a high school student enjoy an older film while feeling the wrath of how horrific the Holocaust was.

This film has a series of important events that leads up to the end. In the beginning of the film, Benigni plays Guido, an Italian waiter who seems to know everyone. Guido is a light minded man who is always in the right place at the right time. All throughout the beginning, Guido runs into a young woman named Dora, who is played by Nicoletta Braschi. Guido has lots of interest in this young woman who he calls Principessa and is always sweeping her off her feet. Eventually they end up falling in love and having a son that will have you saying, "aw," every time he is on the screen.

When all seems to be going perfect, Guido and his son are taken away by the Nazi forces to a camp. His wife rushes to get to them and is also taken to the camp. This is where Benigni's comedic talents really shine. While in the camps, Guido and his son are separated from Dora and Guido decides to turn the sore reality of being at the camp into a game to keep his son safe and happy at the same time. He explains how the grand prize of the game is a real tank, which keeps his son wanting to stay in the game. While in the camp, Guido always finds a way to make his son be happy and believe that everything is going to be okay. To find out if Giosue wins grand prize and if Guido ever reunites with his wife again, you are just going to have to watch this magnificent film that may leave you with tears of joy and sadness.

This movie truly is an inspiring story about someone who is put in a bad situation and does everything he can to make it seem like a normal situation, all for his cute little son. In a lot of ways the movie life is Beautiful is like the Holocaust comic, Maus, written by Art Spiegelman. The comic Maus, is a story about a father who had to go beyond measures to keep him and his wife safe during the Holocaust and how it affected him many years after. Both show the drastic levels that people had to go through in order to stay alive during the Holocaust. They also both use great viewing techniques such as the angle of the shot, up close shots to show certain emotions, and shading/darkness to enhance the importance within the stories. Both were well written stories, but the big difference between the two that makes Life is Beautiful more appealing is the comic relief that it provides to someone who is watching it.

Although this film has some heartbreaking and jaw dropping scenes, it is a movie that will inspire you. It will having you crying with laughter, joy, and sadness throughout, which makes it one of my favorite movies from the 1990's.

Jason.