Should have won best picture

Rating: 10/10 (19 April 2001)

Alright, for those out there who think this an odd or mediocre film, you are not familiar with Roberto Benigni. The type of characters he plays and his style of humor is similar in almost every movie he makes. The more you see of him, the more you appreciate and understand him, and this is by far his finest. His flawless performance carries this movie and makes it a compelling masterpiece. It starts off as slow-moving light comedy, then takes a sharp turn as Nazi Germany spreads to Italy. Don't watch this movie with the English voiceover option on DVD, the best way is in Italian with subtitles.
I found the buildup to the Holocaust scenes to be effective. You must pay attention to little things that happen because they become important later. The scenes in the concentration camp were very suspenseful and full of tension, even though Benigni is trying to work the mentality in the opposite direction. I can't say much more than that you just need to see this movie and find out for yourself how great it is.