La vie devant soi

Sophia Loren at 86 has returned to us along with her Co-Star Ibrahima Gueye in her son's film. Though the film is a re-make and the story rather predictable, what is not is the performance of these two actors. The cast is good, but the leads are on a different level. And their final scenes together are deeply moving. I have never seen Ms Loren more touching and filled with grace, nor a 12-year-old boy more beautiful and talented. Sophia has given us a gift in both the film and this young actor whose future is so brilliant.

Although Sophia Loren has played too many parts to recount in her 86 years, The Life Ahead is probably as close as she will get to depicting an aging, caring senior who is about ready to leave permanently. The good deeds she, Madame Rosa, has done for others, especially youngsters, travel with her as we see how she guides her latest waif, 12-year-old Momo (Ibrahima Guye) from thief and dealer to loving child for an old lady.

While this premise may sound maudlin, it is not. Directed by her son, Eduardo Ponti, this melodrama with thriller touches is all about Momo finding love and connection and Rosa coming to terms with her Holocaust memories while doing her best good deeds at the end of her life. The screen has a few touching minor characters like Dr. Coen, who attends to Rosa also as a friend, and Lola (Abril Zamora), a transgender caregiver who shares affection with her dear old friend.

The Life Ahead is restrained with few high moments. Rather, small interactions lead to our seeing the good in every life, even those of which we don't approve. Rosa is a former hooker, about whom one couldn't harbor criticism or disdain. Like her friends, Lola gives succor when she can, indulges regrets when they come, and searches for love right to the end of the film.

She is "good" just as she tells Momo he is. And that's enough.

An Italian drama. It is about a Muslim immigrant boy in the street who is taken to live with a retired prostitute who was a victim of the holocaust, making the meeting a moment of reflection in their lives. Quality. Raw Timeless Slightly parsimonious. Talk about love, empathy, charity, about belonging somewhere. About how hard life is for orphans and also for migrants, prompting them to do anything to survive. It even also shows how human beings sometimes live with fear and fear of being hurt that is why we put a huge barrier to others. The performances at the level. And it shows that, life itself. If you like dramas you will enjoy it. A drama that shows that the only thing a person sometimes needs is attention and love.

The Life Ahead will capture your heart while modeling what an ideal world would look like if we could all understand each other and get along.

What better way to show your mother love than to direct her in likely her final film performance,. The Life Ahead IMHO is her most befitting role as Earth Mother. Sophia Loren is so beautifully moving and astounding in a role that was created back in 1978's French film Madame Rosa with the legendary Simone Signoret. Signoret's interpretation of Rosa earned her accolades across the world's film communities.

It being 2020 the year of COVID, and the festival circuits are either virtual or all together cancelled, the star spotlight will be very different for actors whom deserve to shine. With this film it is truly tragic that the film community will miss out on the stunning presence of Miss Loren. At 86 Miss Loren is not the true lead in the film, but it is Ibrahima Gueye, who at 14 whom plays a street tough whom Rosa takes into her care. These two performances make a very simple film into a fitting tribute to love and the resiliency of the two leads characters.

I will say if the Academy was truly worthy of its accolades after giving Parasite the best film honors, it will honor both stars with statuettes come this winter in Hollywood. Loren is truly spectacular to behold as a once great beauty and the "mother" and "caretaker" of the children of the women of the night, as she slowly succumbs to the ravages of dementia. In her scenes of her withdraws Lorens facial expressions and those eyes tell of a back story we only can imagine from her faded numbers on her left forearm. With the arrival of Momo ( Gueye) Rosa's life begins to become more fulfilling again, and the two start off as adversaries, and the end their love is truly etched in each other's hearts.

NETFLIX has possibly one of the contentions for this years Best Picture Nominations with this ( as well as Mank) and hopefully a son's gift of Oscar to Miss Loren's heartbreaking performance that will easily be compared to her first Oscar win in Two Women. It may be an Oscar win as well for 14 year old Gueye in a magnificent turn as the street tough Momo who allows the kindness of Rosa to value his life ahead.

The movie is an emotional tour de force, taking the audience through the trials of age, loss, loneliness, tragedy, respect, religion, friendship, and life.

Sophia Loren is captivating and she's surrounded by a strong, supporting cast.