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Movie Review
Life is Beautiful
I was very moved by this movie, and I agree with another reviewer that it wasn't "exploitative". The Holocaust was the background.. the setting. The characters weren't backdrops to the story of the Holocaust, but rather the situation they were in simply emphasized the beauty within the main characters.
The lives of the characters were terribly affected by the Holocaust, of course, but the experience of the Holocaust did not MAKE the characters. It demonstrated their wonderful integrity, particularly in the characters played by Begninni and Braschi.

It is a refreshing look at the horrible experience of the Holocaust -- from the viewpoint of a person who DOES maintain his integrity and refuses to be beaten down, even to the moment of death. It was a story of the spirit winning over all attempts to destroy it.

I think it's important to not forget what happened, but the way this movie was put together was uplifting, too.

I don't normally watch movies that deal with real tragic material, because it can be just too upsetting to me, especially when children are involved. (I have six kids, and somehow this has altered my "sentimentality factor".) I can say that this movie is safe to watch! There is grief, but it's bearable, and I smiled at the end.

Definitely worth buying!