SummaryFrom one of the world's most acclaimed comic filmmakers comes an unexpected and unforgettable fable about the power of laughter to move the human heart and the power of the imagination to bolster the human spirit. (Miramax Films)
Directed By:Roberto Benigni
Written By:Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni
Life Is Beautiful
Metascore
Mixed or Average
58
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.3
My Score
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Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
58
66% Positive
21 Reviews
21 Reviews
19% Mixed
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
16% Negative
5 Reviews
5 Reviews
100
One of the greatest films about the civilian experience of war ever made anywhere.
88
A rare blend of comedy and tenderness whose point is not the horrors of war but the lengths a parent will go to protect his child's innocence.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.3
86% Positive
317 Ratings
317 Ratings
9% Mixed
32 Ratings
32 Ratings
5% Negative
18 Ratings
18 Ratings
Feb 22, 2026
10
Greetings from Lithuania.
"La vita è bella" (1997) - (what a beautiful title) is a great movie. It is genuinely moving and fascinating film that is full of good heart even at the cost of some historical accuracy. I first saw it when I was 13 years old, and I never forgot it. What beautiful piece of work. Wonderfully acted, directed, paced it takes you to the place, involves you, shakes you to the core, inspires you and lets you go on a beautiful note - heroes can be found in the most unusual places, and true heroes goes unsung. On its core, "La vita è bella" is a fairytale, but so captivating, so true, so beautifully told it will leave you with eyes wet. It delivers on every aspect. I saw this movie many times, and every single time it left me speechless. Overall, if you somehow haven't seen this movie, do yourself a favor and experience it, that is the only word that sums up this picture. It is very sentimental but that is what makes is so rewatchable. Great movie.
Oct 27, 2023
10
Capolavoro. Ha reso una tragedia una commedia che fa capire i problemi della seconda guerra mondiale non piangendo ma ridendo.️
80
The concept is not so much nihilistic as it is realistic, and the fact that Benigni has made such fine distinctions so powerfully clear is amazing and moving.
70
The story moves beyond the limitations of its setting, transforming itself into an affecting parable about the lengths to which parents will go to protect their children from trauma, cruelty and knowledge of evil.
60
Has one of the most stupendously tasteless premises in cinema history, and much of the time when this movie tries to beckon a smile, the effect is closer to astonished nausea.
50
Benigni sets out to do the impossible.
0
Benigni's movie made me want to throw up.
Jan 22, 2021
10
This is one of the finest works that cinema has ever made in its entire history. Truly remarkable.
Feb 11, 2019
6
I would rate the film Life Is Beautiful a six out of ten. This is because the Main Character Guido (Bengini), plays his role very as a clown trying to protect his son from the horrors of the holocaust. This does not give the appropriate respect the for people affected by the Holocaust. Joshua plays an excellent roll as a innocent child blind from the Horrors of the Holocaust. I would recommend this to my family because it gives the respect it deserves to Holocaust survivors while at the same time Guido makes it a comedy. When Joshua is hiding in the metal box and Guido is being taken by the SS officer he does a funny march protect Joshua from what is really going on.
Feb 8, 2019
6
The movie was only ok because it only showed some aspects of the Holocaust not the whole thing. There were also some parts that they made jokes that weren't supposed to make jokes, such as when they were going onto the train the dad was joking that they were going someplace nice. Even though Joshua knew that they weren’t going someplace that was nice, he played along, hoping that everything would be fine. Still, Guido, the father, did the right thing by not telling Joshua the truth. Joshua probably wouldn’t take it well if Guido told him that they were in a concentration camp. By not telling him the truth, Guido protected him from the horrors of the camp.
Jan 21, 2026
2
Playing Hide and Seek in a Concentration Camp seems quite bad taste. And although the movie tries to show the injustice it stays being an innocent banalisation of the Holocaust.
Jul 29, 2015
1
Irritating movie ,and just hated it as the concentration camps should not be put into a **** ingredients are wrong so that the movie itself even is entertaining, it won't be good.Also these camps are the dark times of humanity and should be respected, not to be made into **** itself is not a fun topic and this movie just do the opposite.
Production Company:
- Melampo Cinematografica
- Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica
Release Date:Oct 23, 1998
Duration:1 h 56 m
Rating:PG-13
Tagline:An unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all. (Canadian one sheet)
Awards
Academy Awards, USA
• 3 Wins & 7 Nominations
David di Donatello Awards
• 9 Wins & 13 Nominations
Golden Ciak Awards
• 4 Wins & 10 Nominations
