La bellezza del somaro

This is a crazy but at the same time very profound movie disguised in a randomly messy human relationship and hardship of life, dealing with emptiness, growing pain, poppy love, aging pressure, phony love life and relationship, parenthood, friendship, aging worries, and all the related families that have to interweave, intervene, to be acted upon, to pretend, unavoidable not to participate in a lot of group activities nobody really enjoyed. Parents and their children, best friends and their families, marriage failures and marital crisis. There are lot of things could happen and explode, blowing out of the water and turn ugly without warning. The relationship among husbands and wives, parents and children, friends, are actually all based upon a very fragile, very unpredictable foundation. The screenplay is great, the directing very liberal, the performances of all the actors are flawless. Thanks to a very good casting job. This Italian movie is a modern day Fellini's "8-1/2 (1963)" and "La Dolce Vita (1960)" in colors; this kind of movies could only be made out of Italy.

This movie centers around an architect (Marcello) and his wife Marina (a psychologist) and their concern over who their daughter (Rosa) is dating. I was caught off guard when it became clear that this was what the whole movie was going to be about; the central issue, anyway.

How could this be interesting?

As the movie progresses, the concern of Marcello and Marina escalates (with Marina spying on Rosa). So accepting that this was going to be the issue or direction of the movie, I became "somewhat" curious myself about who Rosa was seeing. I would find out at a Halloween party whose preparations begin 20 minutes or so into the movie and whose guests begin to arrive shortly thereafter. The body of this movie happens at this party.

But surely there had to be more?

Well who Rosa was seeing was not really important in itself since it was symbolic for ANY choice in life made by a child that their parents can't handle. Therefore, much of the drama ---or more properly "hysterics' of the film is about parent-child relationships. The rest of it is about what happens when you gather a bunch of oddballs together at a party and in a movie in general. EVERYONE in this movie should seek help; including Marina herself, who is a psychologist. I noted that she invited 2 of her screw-loose patients to her party and they blended into her society quite well.

This movie is a comedy and so can ---as a comedy--- get away with a lot of things. Notwithstanding: The level of disrespect and obnoxiousness the young people showed to their parents (seeming even physically threatening) might make some a little uncomfortable --or at least raise eyebrows. There is no question that these parents are incompetent. If parenting is a car, these people --for whatever reason-- still can't get the hang of it and are still crashing into trees and running into sign posts. --BUT with the best of intentions because they love their children. So I had to feel a little sorry for them.

Finally: Think of this movie as looking into a lunatic asylum. Some of the antics of the residents might make you grin or chuckle occasionally but not enough to keep you watching. What keeps you watching (me, anyway) is a primitive voyeuristic curiosity; like staring at an accident --or in this instance-- crazy people. Love, Boloxxxi.