Life is Beautiful(1997): a movie that is unique on its own

 Movie Review: Life is beautiful(1997) 

"Life is Beautiful"(also known as La Vita E Bella) is a 1997 Italian film directed by Roberto Benigni. The movie is based on the events of the Holocaust but unlike the majority of films of this genre, "Life is Beautiful" takes a humorous approach. The movie received praise from the critics and the audience and is considered one of the greatest war-comedy films ever made. 

Story and Presentation: 

The movie is divided into two parts. The first part is pure comedy and romance that also help us introducing the characters. The movie takes an unexpected turn in the second part. The movie does not lose its humorous tone but that only makes the audience feel more distressful for the characters. The movie also has a good pace and is very well balanced into two parts.

The movie is shown from the perspective of Guido, played by the director Roberto Benigni himself. Guido is a Jewish-Italian man who works at his uncle's restaurant and wishes to open his own bookstore. Guido's positive attitude towards life and his ability to stay calm and funny even when the situations are odd, make us love the character.

The movie begins as Guido and his friend come to the city looking for earning. Guido wishes to open a bookstore but couldn't get the approval so he began to work at his uncle's restaurant. Guido meets a wealthy girl named "Dora" with whom he falls in love. He refers to her as "Princess" and occasionally meets with her. The scenes of Guido surprising her by showing up at the most unexpected places are hilarious and also brilliant. The charismatic nature of Roberto Benigni is full-on display throughout the movie. The movie throws some comic punches that are difficult to catch if you are not watching the movie very carefully. At the end of the first part, Guido unknowingly hosts the reception party of Dora's wedding. Dora, who was forced to marry a rich man against her will notices Guido at the party and gently tells him to "Take her away". Guido flees the party with Dora and together they have a son named "Joshua" reflecting a happily married life.  

The second part is however much darker and depressing than the first one. It's Joshua's birthday and he is being taken into the Nazi concentration camps along with Guido and Elisio. One thing that was really heart touching when Dora's name was not found on the list but she insisted to get on the train because she didn't want to let his husband, son and her uncle-in-law to suffer without her. Unaware of this situation, Joshua asks his father about the situation. Guido improvises a scenario and acts like everything is under control instead of telling the harsh truth. The one thing that is common in both parts of the movie is Guido's charismatic nature and presence of mind. Much of the film's focus remains on Guido and his s son Joshua. Guido makes up a game and acts like they are the participants to save his son from mental trauma. The last moments of this movie are no less than a thriller. We know one mistake is enough to cause death to any of the beloved characters and also the film doesn't shy away to show the devastating events of the holocaust. 

The end of the movie very emotional and tear-jerking. Although the movie is set in the Nazi era, I don't think it is fair to call it a "holocaust" movie. The movie is unique on its own and does not need comparison with other movies like "Schindler's List" or "The Pianist". The movie ends with a beautiful message of how we should live life and how to stay positive even when the situation is not in our favour.

Performances: 

There's nothing new to be said about the movie's performances. Roberto Benigni was the star of the movie and he nailed his part in both acting and directing. The movie won three academy awards including the actor in a leading role, and best international feature film. 

The performances of other actor-actresses were also top-notch. Nicoletta Braschi as Dora gave one the best performances of her career in this film. Her voice, facial expressions clearly displayed the character's love towards her family and husband.

The other minor characters such as uncle Elisio and Doctor Lessings also shines out because of the brilliant performances given by their respective actors. 

Music: 

Another positive thing about this movie is its original background score. Composer Nicola Piovani won an academy award for the soundtrack used in this film. The score is beautiful and greatly matches with the situations of this movie on different occasions. Other than that the movie also features Jaques Offenbach's "Barcarolle" at a couple of occasions which is a great addition. 

Verdict: 

Life is Beautiful is a very well written, well directed and a thought provoking movie. It will make you happy, it will make you sad, and at the end it will make you appreciate the beautiful life you have. The rating of this 1997 movie is 9.5