Beauty

Rating: 8/10 (14 July 2010)

A masterpiece of film making from Benigni, this film throws you into a false sense of security in the first half, we are reminded of Italy's family orientated culture and benigni's character comes to life with true comic value and lighthearted antics that keep the viewer engaged, i laughed out loud at many points in the first half. This film is a comedy mixed with romance and love of family, with a large dollop of tragedy on the side. We are shown the deep pain of a family being torn apart by war and the German ideals. We are shown how a father tries to cope with his family coming to a concentration camp to be murdered by the Germans.
Instead of begging or crying we see benigni's character filled with hope and optimism where most would fall deep into depression, he turns the situation into a game for his son and shields him from the cold reality as the bodies pile up outside. Tension creeps into the film in the latter stages as the son is constantly hiding from the Germans. I found this film and its dramatic ending captivating, a real treat . Interesting for those who enjoy the history of war films, but also enjoyable for all other film lovers as it is a heart warming and sometimes comical tale of how hope and love can conquer all evil. A truly remarkable film, well deserved of being in the IMDb top 250. A real beauty of a film, not to be missed.