PG-13

Life Is Beautiful

An unforgettable fable that proves love, family and imagination conquer all.

1997 • 116 min • Comedy · Drama

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Synopsis

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.

Our family guide

Best from age 12

Movie Knight Score

14126 reviews

100 Reviewers · 2 · 51%
84 Audience · 14124 · 49%

Guido, a charming Italian Jew, creates a fantastical game to shield his young son from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. His love and humor become a powerful act of self-sacrifice and hope amidst unimaginable darkness.

Violence & peril: 6/10
Language: 1/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 2/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 7/10

Heads up

Depiction of Nazi persecution and concentration camps
Emotional distress and separation from family
Implied deaths and harsh living conditions

What it models well

Love and sacrifice
Resilience and hope
Imagination as a coping mechanism
The power of a parent's love

Talk about it after

How does Guido's "game" protect Joshua?
Discuss the historical context of the Holocaust.
What does it mean to find hope in difficult times?
How can humor help us face fear?

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for Life Is Beautiful. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: Roberto Benigni • Crew: Roberto Benigni, Vincenzo Cerami, Vincenzo Cerami, Roberto Benigni

Trailers & clips

Life is Beautiful (1998) Official Trailer - Robert Benigni Movie HD

Reviewer notes

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
<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.…
r96sk, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
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.
tubbs, TMDB Community