A beautiful film... but not an entirely perfect one

Rating: 9/10 (6 February 2005)

When I first saw this film, I was told up front that the first full hour of the film, the first half, was all slapstick comedy and character development, and that the second half was more serious and important. I prepared myself mentally for the first half, but I was still surprised by how annoying the gags and jokes were. We're talking cake-in-face, fall-over, slip-on-banana humor. For one full hour. At the end of the first half of this film, I was thinking "this had better get better very soon..." And it did. Right then and there. From the very beginning of the second half, the serious mood enters. And it doesn't take long for even the most average minded viewer to realize that the first half of humor and character development was important. It was important for us to ease into a less tense mood, to make the important subject strike even harder, and for us to get to know the characters, to make us care more about what happens to them. I've just finished seeing it for the second time, and I've come to realize that this film is not entirely perfect, as I felt just after seeing it through first time. It does have its flaws, though there aren't many of them. The first half, and some parts of the second half, are heavy on humor, which some will mistake for making fun of the subject(which is almost a crime), or trying to make it seem less important. I don't believe this to be true, it's just a retelling with a more positive message; yes, people do horrible, inhumane things sometimes... but after all, there is beauty, too. The first half will also deter some viewers who will enjoy the second half much more. The plot is very good, though slightly unrealistic. The acting is pretty much all flawless, even in the child actors. The characters are well-written and interesting. The humor is more acceptable in the second part, because it's more toned down and not trying way too hard to get a quick laugh out of the audience. All in all, a great film which anyone and everyone should see at least once during their life... you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll realize that, in the end, Life Is Beautiful. I recommend this to just about anyone, but I know that not everyone will enjoy it equally. A near-perfect film. Keep watching past the first half... you won't regret it. 9/10