Review of Life Is Beautiful (1997) by Viktor G — 03 Jan 2013

Life is Beautiful (Italian 1997).

"When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile" - Unknown.

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself" â" George Bernard Shaw.

They say life is nothing but the short period of time between initial and final breaths and with in this interval comes everything called a "moment". In an abstract sense life is nothing but a collage of moments just like photos in a camera. Not all photos come out good and the same is applicable to various moments in one's life.

The whole idea of leading life is to cherish every moment of it and beautify them as much as possible as it's a mix of all emotions happy and sad. Oh, but this is just prose and anybody can scribble anything when they get a chance. But is this practically applicable? Do I follow everything I write? No - but when it comes to cinema anything is possible more so that the silver-lining between real vs. reel disappears and expounds itself.

The 1997 Italian movie - Life is Beautiful - is a classic example of reel life illustriously shown and depicted in perfect consonance with real life.

Story:

It's Italy in 1930 and we are peeking in to the life of a happy go-lucky guy Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni). One fine day he meets the women of his life Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), love is in the air and pretty soon they are married and blessed with a lovable son Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini).

All hell breaks down when Guido and Giosue are exterminated to a Nazi concentration camp and wife Dora follows them just in the name of love. Rest of the story is about family spending their time in the facility, father-son relationship, aspirations of hope and restraint against authority.

Analysis:

The film is all about love, relationship, hope and beauty of livelihood. Initial part of the film is a poetic dance of love between the lead couple. The scenes involving hero trying to lure the heroine in to a relationship are extremely hilarious and sensible at the same time.

The movie takes a sorrowful turn when the scene shifts to a correctional facility in later portions of the film. Irrespective of the sad events the film tries to maintain it's entertainment quotient in the form of extremely entertaining scenes between father and son. Father trying to convince his son about the whole camp being a points game and trying to cheer him up in spite of his intrinsic pathos stands as a testimony for leading life.

Performances:

Roberto is to realistic performance as Picasso is to painting. As an actor he oozes in to the role with extreme enthusiasm, subtle performance and larger than life compassion towards familial aspects. His super clear antics through out the film are thoroughly enjoyable especially in the scenes with his son. In a way he is the best thing to happen to drama and melancholy if ever they get laced with an entertaining facade.

Nicoletta as the wife is more than perfect. You can't help but notice their superfine chemistry on screen in lieu of their real life marital relationship. She dramatizes well as a women torn between hope and love with no respite in sight.

The little boy Giorgio is a surprise package of sorts. The childish nature of infants even when the whole world around is going down is captured in a crystalline format. The way he responds to his father's game ploys with in the camp is sensitively rational and the kid deserves special kudos for the same. Background score by Nicola Piovani needs a special honorable mention and the renditions are simply superb.

Tail piece:

Films like this are a rarity when it comes to learning aspects. There is nothing to be taken seriously but there is definitely sensible about it as you watch and feel for it's characters. Emotional aspects in the film are so high that the same transcends down to every viewer watching it through his own tube.

Though the title says - Life is Beautiful - not every moment in the film is "happy". But what makes it beautiful is living your own life and clinging on to your family through thick & thin and not departing from your duties lest there is a sacrifice. It's the purest lesson on fatherhood and livelihood.