Review of Life Is Beautiful (1997) by John K — 13 Apr 2013

The challenge of creating a film that bases itself on bitter-sweet comedy amongst the backdrop of the holocaust is not only daring; it's, possible career suicide. This is evident in Jerry Lewis's failed attempt, The Day the Clown Cried.

Not only did the film lack humor, Lewis's dilapidated jokes presented themselves as an onslaught of insults, cold and without heart. It was the bold, courageous, original Benigni that delicately balanced a story of humor within the atrocities of Mussolini's Italy.

Benigni's masterpiece did not turn the holocaust itself into a trivial satire; rather, he revealed to the audience that within a man's darkest hour one may turn to humor as a defense mechanism.

What made this more than just a movie, what made this a piece of cinematic art was that the protagonist was not using his defense mechanism to protect himself. He held onto his ability to laugh and smile to protect the people he loved.

He did it to remind them that Life is Beautiful.