Review of Life Is Beautiful

Life Is Beautiful is a 1997 Italian comedy-drama film directed by Benigni Benigni who was also starring in this movie. The film was a critical and financial success. It won the Grand Prix at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, nine David di Donatello Awards, including Best Film, in Italy, and three Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Benigni.
  This film is a story about Guido Orefice. He is a young Jewish man who arrives to work in Italy. Guido falls in love with Dora. He overcomes many difficulties and finally gets married to Dora. After a few years, they have a son, Giosue, and own a bookstore. However, World war II breaks out, Guido, his uncle, and Giosue and many other Jews are forced onto a train and taken to a concentration camp. In the camp, Guido tells his son that the camp is a complicated game in which he must finish the tasks Guido gives him. Each of the tasks will earn them points and whoever gets to one thousand points first will win a tank. Guido keeps this game until the time when German fail in the war and decide to destroy everything in the camp. He tells his son to stay in a box until everybody has left so that he can get 40 points to reach one thousand points.Guido goes to find Dora, but while he is out, he is caught by a German soldier and is killed. Next morning, Giosue get out from the box. An American tank appears and the camp is liberated. Finally, Giosue finds his mom. In the end, as a man, Giosue realizes his father’s story of sacrifice for his family.
   There are too many films that reflect the World War II, but they are all too bloody. In this movie, there are more laughter and tears. First of all, Guido is a brave man. He loves Dora and tries his best to get married to her. And finally, he succeeds. Second, Guido is a responsible man. When they are in the concentration camp, Guido takes care of his son and does not forget to try to get touch with his wife. Love is his all life, so he does not hesitate to sacrifice his life to preserve his son, which shows the great father’s love. There are several scenes in the film worth mentioning: First, Guido came to Dora’s school to jump a funny dance. This scene attracts the attention of Dora, which reflects that Guido is a brave man with a sense of humor. Next scene is that when he was caught by the German soldier he makes face to the box where his son stays in so that makes the son think that it is just a game. This shows the great father’s love. The final scene is that the son and mother meet. The son says to his mother:」 We won, we get 1000points.」 This is the saddest scene. We are sad for the sacrifice of Guido who protects the heart of the kid. The film tells us that the pain is only temporary, and only optimistic people can get Beautiful Life.
    In this movie, the great father’s love is shown vividly. It is not only the father’s loves through the whole movie but also the love between husband and wife, and the determination of the wife who chooses to stay with her family. The beautiful love between persons reflects the evil of the war. This movie tells us the preciousness of peace and the great love between persons, which makes the theme of this movie so profound. I think it is worthwhile for us to watch this movie.