Matialth
Good concept, poorly executed.
Acensbart
Excellent but underrated film
Tayyab Torres
Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.
Paynbob
It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.
jgl2003
From the reviews, I was expecting a Peter Sellers Pink Panther type literate farce but instead found this movie to be a small string of Roberto's marvelous physical shtick wrapped up in fluff. Most of the slapstick situations were telegraphed from the forties. Even for a farce, the story is farcical. The movie started off with much promise but then almost immediately everyone began to chew scenery. Perhaps another director could have evened it out but I was bored. Humor is in the eye, so to speak, so take this with a grain since so many others seem to rate it funny. But my vote is it would make a great SNL skit but there is not enough of anything to make a full length movie. Your mileage may vary.
jbull-4
After seeing the trailer for this film, in France and in French, I thought that it should be given a wide berth. But I watched it with a friend one night and still laugh about it 10 years later. It was brilliant. Absolute pure genius. While the scenes looked ridiculous in the trailer, they were very funny in the context of the film. The story is simple, innocent bumbler is mistaken for a serial killer, but the talent of Benigni, both in his writing and his acting, makes the error plausible and for a great film. The scene on the scaffolding is one of my all time favorite comedy moments and the several unexpected meetings with a neighbour, whilst Benigni is walking along on his haunches (trying to avoid his caretaker as he is behind in his rent)are both funny and very touching, especially when Nicoletta Braschi comes on the scene. Just watch it and enjoy. But only if it's in it's original version, Italian. Otherwise don't!
Caledonia Twin #1
Not at all like "Life is Beautiful", but entertaining and uproarious at times. It is a pity that Benigni films are not more readily available worldwide (outside Italy), in particular "Non ci resta che piangere" AKA "Nothing to do but cry" is a Benigni gem that is perhaps the best of all his films but nearly impossible to find. "Il Mostro", now available in the US, offers moments of comic genius and is altogether worthwhile to watch. My rating: 8.5/10
wurlybird9
Although the humor is generally not too sophisticated, this movie is just non-stop laughs. While it's crude, it's also quite clever, although some scenes (i.e. the video recap) were perhaps a bit redundant. But I like it, its goofiness is endearing.