One of the 10 greatest films ever

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2000)

Unfortunately, too many people seem to think that the only way to portray the Holocaust is with a somber and depressing depiction. While there's nothing wrong with that approach, Benigni's story is a far more compelling one.
Everyone knows about the Holocaust and its horrors. Another extremely graphic movie showing that isn't going to strike people's hearts. All such a movie would have gotten would be comparisons to Schindler's List. Instead, this film gets around that by doing something far more amazing than Schindler's List. It convincingly shows one of the most impossible things I've heard of - it puts humor into the Holocaust. You'd think such a connection would be ludicrous. Without seeing the movie, I would probably think so too.
Forget that, see the movie. This movie is perfect. Benigni plays a father who is able to turn the holocaust for his young son into a "game." Beningi, through a host of wonderfully funny events is able to hide his son from the horrors from the holocaust. Impossible some people say? Yes, I'm sure it would not have happened in the real holocaust, but that shouldn't become an issue once you've seen the movie, because that's not the point. The point is to appreciate the strength of love that a father can have for his child and the extraordinary lengths he would go to in even the darkest moments in order for his child to have a better life. See this movie.