Very good movie but no masterpiece

Rating: 7/10 (13 December 1999)

I watched this movie these weekend shown in Italian with English subtitles. I'm still trying to decide whether it was worth the several Oscars it won. The storyline is simple. Guido,Dora and their young son Joshua are sent to a concentration camp because they are jewish. Guido tries to make light of what is a very horrific, nightmarish situation by heavily improvising to his young son by using humor that it is all just a game. The young boy that played the son was brilliant in the role-he is VERY talented. I didn't think the harsh reality of the camp was built up enough in this movie. If they would have put more detail into the horrible reality of the camp it would have made the movie better. Overall it was good and enjoyable. I give it 7/10.