A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game.
"An unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all."
Top Billed Cast
Roberto Benigni
Guido
Nicoletta Braschi
Dora
Giorgio Cantarini
Giosué
Giustino Durano
Zio
Sergio Bini Bustric
Ferruccio
Marisa Paredes
Dora's Mother
Horst Buchholz
Doctor Lessing
Lidia Alfonsi
Mrs. Guicciardini
Detailed Critic & Audience Reviews
T tubbsVerified TMDB Critic
2020-06-09
The first half of the screenplay is better than the second and in particular the weak ending which is very commercial Oscar material. However, there is Benigni, who is an old school visual comedian, and some of his antics are a delight. The period setting details are also well done....
R r96skVerified TMDB Critic
2025-08-17
<em>'Life Is Beautiful'</em> is certainly beautiful (in a sense), but is acutely haunting too. You can see where the film is heading from pretty much the get-go, though that only strengthens the grip that the film had on my mind. Evidently, it's an outstanding piece of filmmaking.
I've, of course, seen plenty of flicks that feature this particular historical event, but I gotta say this one had a larger effect on me than is the norm. They are all saddening, obviously, but this one with the young family aspect hit a bit more, it felt more intimate. That's all despite the movie being infused w...
