Life truly is beautiful

Rating: 10/10 (30 August 2011)

A comedy set in a concentration camp during WWII may sound like a dreadful even downright offensive idea. After all, humor downsizes the significance of things right? Wrong. Like Charlie Chaplin, Roberto Benigni understands that humor can be a powerful tool to overcome all things bleak and cruel. When things look darkest, that's when we're in most need of a smile.
The story begins with Guido (Benigni), a Jewish-Italian man who pines to open a bookstore. He meets a young teacher (Nicoletta Braschi) who despite her mother's objections, they fall in love, marry and have a child. Years later, Guido's love for his family is tested when they are brought to a concentration camp. Attempting to put a positive spin on the situation, Guido convinces his young son (Giorgio Cantarini) that they are involved in a game to celebrate his birthday.
Keeping things humorous without undermining the gravity of the situation is a hard balancing act. Luckily there are no cheap laughs, thanks mostly to Guido's zest for life. No scene is spared from his exuberance and his brand of humor is never tactless or mean-spirited. His need to save his family is the driving force of the films second act and every small triumph or insurmountable obstacle he faces gives the audience a very real emotional reaction. There is one scene where Guido's hope for escape is met with soul crushing failure. He then finds a record and plays its loud enough for his wife across the way to hear to console her.
One drawback to this film is the timeline. Are we meant to believe the allied forces stormed the camp only a few short months after Guido and his family's arrival? Additionally some may experience emotional whiplash from a film that evokes laughter and tears in equal measure. To them I'd say, WWII was an event that coaxed similar emotions and actions. While the war showed human nature at its ugliest, it also showcased us at our best. Benigni however is not concerned with geopolitical posturing and keeps his more caustic meditations on fascism sequestered in the first act. The human story is the important thing and God love him for realizing this.
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