Dolce Vita

Rating: Null/10 (4 April 2017)

'La Vita è Bella' - better known as 'Life is Beautiful' - this Roberto Benigni movie focuses on a free-spirited Italian Jew who pretends for his son that being sent to a concentration camp is part of an elaborate game. One's mileage with the film will vary based on whether one views him lying to his son as benevolent or utterly irresponsible; certainly, the film celebrates his efforts to shelter his son, but he also often places the boy in danger by not letting him know how serious everything is. The film is hampered by a roundabout structure with 45 minutes of childish pranks by the protagonist as he romances his wife to-be before his son is born. Things admittedly pick up well once the son enters the picture, but with slapstick gags beforehand including splattered eggs, it is certainly a bumpy ride. That said, there is a lot of cleverness in how the protagonist manipulates every situation (especially mistranslating a stern guard) in order to convince his son that it is all one big game. There are some very tense moments too, such as when his son accidentally says thank-you. A lot of suspension of disbelief is required though given how many shenanigans they get away with (sneaking off at will; using the concentration camp PA) and therefore it is hard to consider the film very realistic. It does admittedly resonate somewhat though as a tale of fatherly devotion and trying to make the best of bad situation.