The Best of Youth (2005)

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This is a film that enriches the viewer willing to submit to it; like meeting a stranger who is, at first, different, then allowing that stranger to reveal to you what it is that you share, your common humanity regardless of cultural differences. Yes, it's got subtitles--so if you just want to sit and watch action aplenty and people chasing one another and things exploding, this is not the film.Best of Youth is a beautifully crafted film which follows forty years of a family fortunes and misfortunes, centering mainly on two brothers in Italy, and moves from the noisy bustle of ancient cities to the halcyon sea-kissed Sicily; the film is both romantic and, after the first few hours, intensely suspenseful. You must get to know the family first before you can participate--stay the course and you'll see what I think is among the best films of the last ten years.This is a film that pays back the hours you spend involved with it.

Having had my arm twisted to watch this film, it was a singular event to behold.6 hours of pure enjoyment! At no point in this beautiful tale was there a moment of boredom or release from the connection.Beginning with two brothers finishing education and going into the real world, experiencing all the pain and separation of life, this film explores the deepest connections we believe in and can fake.The tragedy and the joy are all wonderfully executed and no character is wasted or feels like a filler.A touching insight into the world of any family in any time and any place.

I've had the biggest trouble rating this movie, First of all the characters depicted in this movie are superb, complex, deep, sad, brilliantly acted, etc. I've never seen a movie that has so many complex characters. Lots of praise.Second, the pictures are most of the time very, very beautiful, everything has been thought of, in the smallest detail. Lots of praise for this as well.You'd say, why don't you give this movie 10 out of 10 then? because of the plot. The plot is good, though, I believe they could've done a better job, some plot points aren't as good as they could be, and some parts of the plot have been overreacted, especially the sad parts, some other (better parts) of the plot flash by, which is a pity.This is the reason I had such a hard time voting, plot is way worse than the acting, the characters, the pictures, the soundtrack, etc. characters: 10/10 acting: 10/10 plot: 7/10 result: 8/10I would recommend this movie to anyone, and in particular people who love drama, just a story of a person. Or to people that like great soundtracks, or to people that like beautiful pictures in movies, etc. etc.Funny part: At the end of the movie, the mother (Giuglia) looks younger than the daughter, well, she has got gray hair, but that's about it, no wrinkles, nothing. It's hard to make people age 40 years in one movie, I know, so, director, you have my respect for Adriana, because she really ages perfectly, although when you look carefully, you do see she's only in her 30s instead of her 70s... :)

Let me say this right away: When I borrowed this from the library, I had four exams to study for and no idea that it was a mini-series. So I started watching it, and finished in less than two days, having dropped all my studying. That is how much I was deeply moved and touched by this masterpiece.Not many films can endure the kind of multi-generation story lines that books can. This film is one of the rare exceptions.The characters are well-developed and complex; fully human. I quickly became emotionally invested in the family. Their dreams were my dreams, their achievement also mine, their failures my fault.The beautiful scenery takes you all throughout Italy, and as the characters are involved in events that take place in the background, it places a nice historical touch to what would otherwise be just a Carati soap opera.Some parts are a bit on the melodramatic side but it's expected for TV these days, right? The only quibble I have with this is that it's made for TV, which means the cinematography is too. There were too many close-ups and I felt pretty uncomfortable with that.All in all, though, it's a lesson about all the people, places, and memories that haunt you throughout your life. And that's worth much more than failing four exams.