To be honest, this movie took me completely by surprise. From the dubious theme of a man perturbed by his big ugly teeth and who goes to see a dentist to take them out, has sprung a collection of reflection on life, presented in an engaging tale, that left me leaving the theater spellbound. The main character, Antonio, is charming and very well portrayed by Sergio Rubini. His merging of childhood and adulthood, fantasy and reality, makes you see an insecure man searching for happiness in the midst of perceived failure. Writer/Director Gabriele Salvatores skillfully brings to the screen a visual representation of this man's psychological struggles with the help of surrealistic elements, rarely used as efficiently as in this feature. His techniques are way beyond competent, and rather blend in so smoothly that you believe that you have just hallucinated yourself. For this alone, this movie is well worth watching.
The screenplay is very clever, as it freshly explores themes like jealousy, self-acceptance and the difficult transition between phases of our lives, while probing other deeper existential questions through lyrical prose interspread throughout the movie.
The result is a very well-made film with a lot of content and exceptional use of visual elements. The pace and mood will make you plunge into the picture head first and surface at the end wondering where the time went. Highly recommended.
