Life Is Beautiful

Play trailer

Life Is Beautiful

PG-13

1998

2h 2m

Comedy

Drama

War

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

80%

Tomatometer

92 Reviews

96%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

A gentle Jewish-Italian waiter, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), meets Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a pretty schoolteacher, and wins her over with his charm and humor. Eventually they marry and have a son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). Their happiness is abruptly halted, however, when Guido and Giosue are separated from Dora and taken to a concentration camp. Determined to shelter his son from the horrors of his surroundings, Guido convinces Giosue that their time in the camp is merely a game.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Benigni's earnest charm, when not overstepping its bounds into the unnecessarily treacly, offers the possibility of hope in the face of unflinching horror.

Read Critics Reviews

Ben Dowell

The Times (UK)

09/20/2022

Schmaltzy, treacly, saccharine — call it what you like, if you’re not blubbing by the end, check your pulse.

Go to Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

12/25/2010

5/5

Wrenching Holocaust fable with bittersweet humor.

Go to Full Review

Tom Dawson

BBC.com

06/10/2002

2/5

How appealing you find it will probably depend on your response to Benigni's screen-hogging routines -- the line between endearing and irksome is a fine one.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

08/25/2024

10/10

The last act is monumental - in its crushing revelations, the inevitable deterioration and near-misses of the complex charade, and the chance coincidences that constitute alternating hope and despair.

Go to Full Review

Matthew Rozsa

matthewrozsa.com

08/26/2023

3.5/4

"It makes you wonder if “Shakespeare in Love” really deserved the Academy Award for best movie of ’98."

Go to Full Review

Wesley Lovell

Cinema Sight

12/25/2022

2/4

“Life Is Beautiful” is quite entertaining and well acted for the most part. Benigni isn’t extremely impressive in the lead role, nor is Cantarini very effective. The plot contains various elements seen in other films and not done much better.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

10/04/2022

I’m so glad I was the only person in the theater because I lost it.

See more

don c

@Donald290 1d

I've watched this a few times, and while at times maudlin and even sappy, the last half is absolutely brilliant. In spite if it's flaws, I consider it a unique masterpiece.

See more

Mateo V

@MateoVLSa Dec 8

Honestly, one of the best films that portrays family love even in times of war like the Holocaust.

See more

Aaron N

@agn1441 Dec 5

Not much can be said about this movie with out giving the plot away, the only thing that I'm going to say is that you need to watch it asap.... and it will hurt your feels

See more

Zane T

@ZaneThind Nov 14

Benigni does it all here. He definitely knew for the film to be successful he had to be front and center and so that's what he did it.

See more

Rocko P

@Baxter666 Nov 12

overlong, and boooting

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Roberto Benigni

Director

Roberto Benigni

Guido Orefice

Nicoletta Braschi

Dora

Giorgio Cantarini

Giosué Orefice

Giustino Durano

Eliseo Orefice

Sergio Bini Bustric

Ferruccio Papini

The Pallbearer

48%

19%

The Pallbearer

Watchlist

Kolya

96%

92%

Kolya

Watchlist

All I Wanna Do

67%

73%

All I Wanna Do

Watchlist

Smoke Signals

90%

82%

Smoke Signals

Watchlist

Home Fries

29%

33%

Home Fries

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Five Favorite Films

23 Fresh Movies and TV Shows Streaming on Netflix in April

Bridget Jones’s Baby, Dear White People Season 1, and More on Certified Fresh Choices on Netflix and Amazon Prime This Week

View more photos

Synopsis

A gentle Jewish-Italian waiter, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), meets Dora (Nicoletta Braschi), a pretty schoolteacher, and wins her over with his charm and humor. Eventually they marry and have a son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini). Their happiness is abruptly halted, however, when Guido and Giosue are separated from Dora and taken to a concentration camp. Determined to shelter his son from the horrors of his surroundings, Guido convinces Giosue that their time in the camp is merely a game.

Director: Roberto Benigni
Producer: Gianluigi Braschi, Elda Ferri
Screenwriter: Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Miramax, Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinema, Melampo Cinematografica
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama, War
Original Language: Italian
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 22, 1998, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 25, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.6M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

Most Popular at Home Now