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Life Is Beautiful

Play trailer Poster for Life Is Beautiful PG-13 Released Oct 22, 1998 2h 2m Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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81% Tomatometer 94 Reviews 96% Popcornmeter 100,000+ 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.
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Life Is Beautiful

Life Is Beautiful

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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.

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Critics Reviews

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Ben Dowell Times (UK) Schmaltzy, treacly, saccharine — call it what you like, if you’re not blubbing by the end, check your pulse. Sep 20, 2022 Full Review Nell Minow Common Sense Media Wrenching Holocaust fable with bittersweet humor. Rated: 5/5 Dec 25, 2010 Full Review Steven D. Greydanus Decent Films Rated: A Oct 29, 2008 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins 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. Rated: 10/10 Aug 25, 2024 Full Review Matthew Rozsa matthewrozsa.com "It makes you wonder if “Shakespeare in Love” really deserved the Academy Award for best movie of ’98." Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 26, 2023 Full Review Wesley Lovell Cinema Sight “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. Rated: 2/4 Dec 25, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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christopher b I’m so glad I was the only person in the theater because I lost it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/04/22 Full Review Alexsander F O filme é lindo, tocante, poético e mesmo com um tema tão sensível consegue ser "Alto Astral", um dos meus filmes favoritos da vida. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/12/24 Full Review valentina T This is one of the best movies I have watched. I have watched it about 5 times and will continue to watch it. I see a lot of reviews critizing the "humor" that this movie has and it is clear to say that plot is the reason. A father trying to protect his youn son from the horrors of the world, in the time period in which they live in. "There was nothing beautiful about life during the holocaust", are you stupid, its not life being beautiful during this time but the beauty of what life is, over coming challeneges and having hope and looking after those you love, that is what is beautful. "I've seen films do a much better job of portraying the the Holocaust and this film is also so repeated, notning new" are you dumb? There were thousnads of people in camps they all had a differetn story. This film gives you a new perspective of this war by focusing on this family. I might also memtion that Roberto Benigni took inspiration from the memoir End, I Beat Hitler by Salmoni. If you haven't already read it, it is also beautiful. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/10/24 Full Review Hao Ian L All efforts to make a somber and sorrowful war awareness film are quickly diminished with the approach of a theatrical, absurdist mode of delivery. And while the message is of good intent, it's nothing that hasn't already been done in older films, and if not even better. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review Milox B « La Vie est Belle » est un film ayant un scénario brillant qui combine humour et émotion. Les personnages sont tous attachants et la musique sublime chaque instant. Un film drôle, émouvant, et inoubliable. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/15/24 Full Review Fabrícia F Comovente, emocionante. A perspectiva da guerra sob os olhos de um homem simples que tenta viver uma vida normal com seu filho mesmo em meio ao caos da Segunda Guerra Mundial (1939-1945). Entretanto os traumas são inevitáveis, resultando num fim amargo. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/05/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Life Is Beautiful

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Cast & Crew

Kolya 96% 92% Kolya Watchlist The Pallbearer 48% 18% The Pallbearer Watchlist All I Wanna Do 67% 73% All I Wanna Do Watchlist Smoke Signals 90% 82% Smoke Signals Watchlist Home Fries 31% 34% Home Fries Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

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
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Comedy, Drama
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)
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