La vita è bella (Life is Beautiful) (1997)

I really, really enjoyed this movie. Most movies enjoy a happy beginning, a turbulent middle and a happy end. Not this movie that sheds the usual plot line and changes it up. The movie is set in fascist Italy so you'd think it be tragic but it changes the norm to be a black comedy. A COMEDY. let me repeat a COMEDY. I don't know how they did it but somehow they did. Anyway back to the review. The story follows a man, Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni, also the director) as he and his son Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini) as they are sent to a camp on Giosue birthday. The father, as to not scare his son, pretends that the camp is a game and that the end prize is a tank. The story sets you up to love these characters and then slam dunks you right through the net of feels. The soundtrack very much fits the movie theme and it helps with some of the scenes. All of the characters are great for the roles they play. The premise is incredibly well thought up as it is ingenious for the themes is explores. The comedy hits the nail on the head. But alas it might be a comedy but its a BLACK comedy so there tragedy and the tragedy really hits you. As much as I like this movie there is only one small flaw, the mother character. She plays a big role in the beginning but towards the middle she fads into the background and I think, if she had been in the movie a little bit longer I think the middle would have been a bit better. That's my thoughts and feeling on the movie.