More than victims

Rating: Null/10 (24 April 2000)

Although it isn't the most realistic look at the holocaust, "Life is Beautiful" excellently shows us that the victims of Nazi genocide weren't just that: they were more than victims. Other films that deal with the subject usually just depict people after the horrible events of Nazism are taking effect. And when we read about the death camps in history books, all we see are numbers of the dead. This film concentrates on the personalities and lives of a family who would eventually fall victim to Nazi persecution.
The first half of the film is a charming love story. It is partially a clever satire on fascism, but doesn't wallow in terror, fear, and thuggery. Instead it concentrates on Guido's (Roberto Benigni) romantic pursuit of Dora. We wish the best for them, but learn that this is not possible with the start of the second half.
What we see of the holocaust from that point on isn't the most graphic or brutal depiction of what happened, and that is why this movie has been criticized. It does however, make you fear for Guido and his family, and we empathize with him throughout his ordeal. A scene where he thanks the SS man who shoves him onto a train in front of his son disturbingly captures the humiliation that a situation like this would result in.
That Guido is making it seem like it is all a game to his son makes a great, haunting story, one that his son will think of forever. LIB is a very engrossing movie with a lot of heart. A-