Nothing Left to Do but Cry

A real masterpiece by Benigni and Troisi. The plot is very simple and there are no special effects. However, what earns this book a place in history books is the outstanding acting performance of these two comedians. You can see from the beginning that most of the sketches are improvisations; their acting is so natural and clean. The reason why it did not gain international recognition is because it cannot possibly transmit the same emotions with with subtitles. Translation becomes nonsense in a movie that is so culturally-bound. I wish I could recommend it to everybody, but I must say that you really need to understand Italian plus some Neapolitan and Florentine dialect in order to appreciate it in its entirety. Besides, you also need to know a little bit about the culture and history of Italy. In Italy, this was, is and will always be an outstanding piece of art.

Sadly, the only occasion we had to see together two of the best italian actors of the century: Benigni and Troisi. Anyway, it's a comedy: there's nothing else to do, but laugh.

Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi are two of the most important Italian comedians of their generation, who ended up being recognized internationally with their masterpieces, "La vita è bella" by Benigni (1997) and "Il Postino" by Troisi (1994), the latter consecrated after his death.

Until they reached the pinnacle of their careers, they went through a series of films where, assuming the role of comedians, they made funny comedies, but of limited content. It's a bit the fate of comedians, to make the public laugh until they finally get autonomy and courage to make a serious comedy, where the laughter is poetic and the wit is intelligent. These two ended up making it and getting the right recognition, which doesn't always happen.

In this four-hand project, the script is weak and even the comedy, with some amusing moments, relies more on the improvisation capacity of the two actors than on situations or previously written dialogues. Above all, it is worth by the natural grace of these two clowns, of unique quality, who are always a pleasure to see perform.

Totally unawares, Saverio, a teacher and Mario, a janitor of the same school in which they both work, travel back in time and find themselves in central Italy at the end of the 15th century. They carry with them an unresolved squabble concerning Saverio's sister, creating a lot of tension between the two, which will increase in the plot. From this moment on they will have to come to grips with the grotesque situation they find themselves in, trying to "hitch a lift" back to the future in a most outlandish way, using and misusing their foresight of the events taking place round that time, and generally making fools of themselves in the eyes of "normal" renaissance folks. Their meeting with Leonardo da Vinci is hysterical, when they become more and more convinced that the genius is in reality a moron. Another character they meet is Savonarola the heretic, who enjoins them to repent, before he is taken to the stake, eliciting some breezy comment from them. If it weren't for a weird kind of homesickness, they would quite enjoy living in this period, full of daring fashions and tantalising damsels.

The couple shows great chemistry and is funny in every respect. The psychology of their characters is complex and credible - for once comical roles with a depth. Basically, Saverio is an embittered petit-bourgeois forever attracted and rejected by women, envious of Mario, an easy-going proletarian every woman falls in love with. Saverio is scheming, mean and vindictive as much as Mario is naive, generous and forgiving. What a match of talents: Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi at the peak of combined creativity. Too bad they will never come back together for another joint venture. Or maybe it is better this way: masterpieces of this level cannot be improved on, at best they can be imitated. For this reason Non ci resta che piangere will shine like a gem in the crown of the best Italian movies of all times. Sadly not many people seem to have seen it, not even in Italy, where the viewers do not need subtitles to enjoy the hilarious juggling of the two actors with the language, but their body language can be universally appreciated.

If you miss it you will have to repent!

I like the Italians, most of all, but I do not like Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni, for me are the most annoying actors ever. Troisi, you do not understand what he says, in all the films he speaks in a kind of dialect that only he understands. In all the movies is the same, boring at the top. You got to have a great deal of steel patience and great love for cinema to watch this movie in its entirety. Troisi and Benigni, who are also directing, are not genius and are not funny at all.