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The Postman

PG Released Jun 14, 1995 1h 56m Romance Biography Comedy Drama List
94% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 94% Audience Score 10,000+ Ratings
Mario Ruoppolo, the mailman on an Italian island, pines from afar for a beautiful waitress. But when exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda comes to live on the island, Ruoppolo delivers Neruda's mail and picks up lessons on love, life and poetry. Read More Read Less

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Critics Consensus

Il Postino movingly explores themes of love and friendship through sensitively depicted -- and beautifully acted -- relationships in 1950s Italy.

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Critics Reviews

View All (35) Critics Reviews
Nigel Andrews Financial Times Il Postino is an enchanted, sun-touched film. Mar 17, 2021 Full Review Geoff Brown Times (UK) This is a film with a heart and soul; a film keyed to the wonderful performance by actor and director Massimo Troisi. Mar 17, 2021 Full Review Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly Rated: B+ Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Sheila Reid Women in the Life A touching Italian love story. May 13, 2022 Full Review Mal Vincent The Virginian-Pilot This, however, is a one-man show, and it all belongs to the sorrowful, mellow face of Troissi, who turns in one of the best performances of this movie year... Rated: 3.5/4 Mar 14, 2022 Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) I was captivated by the Massimo Troisi's performance as Mario. Jan 31, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (974) audience reviews
Alec B Slightly charming but this is typical Miramax awards bait. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/13/23 Full Review Leaburn O This film was charming 👍🏼 Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/11/23 Full Review Mark A An engaging, small foreign film. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 12/16/22 Full Review Jorge M photography on this is beautiful and the story very well told Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/04/22 Full Review isla s I thought this was a lovely, charming film. It has some nice scenery and delightful characters. I enjoyed the explanations of metaphors and poetry, how they can be used to help express feelings and the like. Its got a bit of a slow plot I suppose but its not all about the plot - the setting and philosophical angles are very nice. I particularly like the titular character, the postman Mario Ruoppolo - a quite shy and reserved, yet curious person who slowly becomes more and more interested in the poets life and understanding of his profession as a writer. I also liked that there is a subtle social political side to it as well, in terms of the reactions by older generations to what happens - it gives the film, whats explained, a deeper meaning I feel somehow. I won't elaborate so as not to provide any unnecessary spoilers. I thought it didn't seem too 'up itself' and I very much enjoyed watching it, so I'd recommend it to others. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review William L The Postman is a good indication of the shift in dramatic film in recent years, where 'impactful' storylines need to be accompanied by sweeping scores and emotional crescendos; this film co-written by and starring Massimo Troisi is small in scope and incremental in its progression, chronicling the personal exploration of expression by Troisi's Mario in a down-to-earth way, coinciding with the development of relationships that are both romantic and friendly. The stakes are never particularly high, but the ultimate reflection on Mario's character development is plenty rewarding if a bit sanitized and sentimental. Led largely by Troisi's subdued and sweet performance, The Postman is not excessive but upon reflection may surprise you with the evolution of its protagonist's inner voice. (3/5) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/18/22 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Mario Ruoppolo, the mailman on an Italian island, pines from afar for a beautiful waitress. But when exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda comes to live on the island, Ruoppolo delivers Neruda's mail and picks up lessons on love, life and poetry.
Director
Michael Radford
Producer
Gaetano Daniele, Vittorio Cecchi Gori, Mario Cecchi Gori
Screenwriter
Anna Pavignano, Michael Radford, Furio Scarpelli, Giacomo Scarpelli, Antonio Skármeta, Massimo Troisi
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Miramax, Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinema
Rating
PG
Genre
Romance, Biography, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 14, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 17, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$17.1M
Runtime
1h 56m
Sound Mix
Surround
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