Life Is Beautiful By Roberto Benigni - Movie Review Example

Reflection Paper On “Life Is Beautiful” By Roberto Benigni Overview Movie makers, and for that matter, and directors have often used their works of art to serve several purposes, some of which are academic, and others societal. In “Life is Beautiful”, Roberto Benigni who acts as both the director and writer uses his medium to tell a story that is partly based on events in his own life as a person. The story is set in the period of the internment at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, which was actually a period of time occurring before he was born. The setting of the story means that the writing was undertaking a World War II tragicomedy to exemplify some of the very acts of society in those times that he found worth addressing through the medium of filmmaking. On the whole, the film may be seen as being written in what may be seen as roughness of composition because the writer devised a strategy to ensure that the rather horrific theme of war and national agony is presented in a much comic format. In this reflection, a person opinion on the value of the film is presented. There is also an attempt to critic the film with an aim of giving personal opinion as to whether or not I liked the movie. To make the reflection coherent and well organized, specific aspects of the movie shall be selected for analysis including style of writing, themes and value of the film. Critique of Style of Presentation The style of presentation used by Roberto Benigni can generally be regarded as juvenile, freestyle and down to earth. This is because there were no uses of complex technicalities that require audience and viewers to crack a puzzle while watching the movie. In general tense, the movie was presented in a manner that was easy to understand. A number of strategies were used to achieve this simplicity in presentation. The first was the fact that the writer avoided the use of complex storyline but focused on a direct story revolving around the characters of Guido and Dora and the romantic love that brewed between them. Another strategy that was seen from the style of presentation that made it very simplistic was the fact that the story was clearly divided into two parts of plot sections. This is because in the first hour of the film, the viewer is given much on the romance relationship between Guido and Dora but in the second hour, there is a twist in the plot as much of the sad moments of the setting were introduced. The filmmaker could have easily interrelated these two parts of the film but it would clearly have made it difficult to understand. Reflection on Movie Theme The movie touches on a theme that is directly resounded in its title and that is the theme of life’s beauty. As much as possible, the filmmaker emphasized on the theme of human conviction and the power that the human being has to make life of great worth for himself regardless of undeserving situations and circumstances that they may be confronted with. This theme was empowered around the tragic aspect of the movie, which was the genocide that took place at the time of the Nazi reign in Germany. Not even going into the specifics of the genocide, it can be said that the filmmaker had a mentality of justifying the power of the human conviction above some of the events and situations that were are faced in life with, of which we describe as agonizing and horrifying. This is because as events in the World War II put the rather beautiful relationship revolving around Dora, Dora’s mother, Guildo, Eliseo and Joshua apart, Guido was perceived as having much power in his personal motivation towards life, not to be depressed by events of the war. There is also a theme on human survival in the very moments of times that only the fittest can survive. This is because at the camp, Guildo saw the wisdom in keeping the true situation of the situation between himself and Dora from his son so as to protect their safety. Value of the Film The movie gives a value of hope for the future and the need for mankind to see each other as brother’s keepers. This is because unlike the general idea that was being trumpeted by the genocide, which was a sense of hatred and dislike against people of different ethnic, cultural and religious background, the union of Dora and Guido gives any view the idea that it was indeed possible that people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds to have healthy relationships. The film is thus valued by the message it sends across to the audience that even though life is full of hope and prospects for the future, this will not come in isolation of efforts. It should take the collective contribution of brotherly acceptance to make this happen. Clearly, however keep into the future that this movie travels, it will continue to address pressing issues of the need to be united in the achievement of common human empowerment. Conclusion From the reflections that have been done so far, a number of conclusions can be taken as to whether or not I liked the movie as a person. Generally, I would conclude by saying that I liked the movie to the letter. This is because of the effort that the Roberto Benigni put in the movie in ensuring that a historical connotation of genocide that had for long been presented in history as one of the most horrific events in life was approached from a more acceptable perspective. Generally, what makes me like this approach used by the writer and director in “Life is Beautiful” is the fact that even though it remains a fact that the war was horrific and barbaric, presenting the story in a more comic way makes it easier for any viewer to accept it and undertake a personal reflection on the events leading up to the genocide. I was therefore able to accept the story more easily and also make detailed reflections on it. The fact that the movie gives much power to its audience that the creation of the world around them lies in their own hands was also a very strong point in the value that makes me like it. This is because after watching the movie, I have been more edified to make use of my personal abilities to make the world around me a better one. Works Cited Life Is Beautiful. Dir: Roberto Benigni. MiraMax Home Entertainment, 1997, Movie. Read More