La bella vita (1994)

Bruno and Mirella get married in 1989 and live in the little town of Piombino seems to be a bed of roses. After a while Bruno gets the sack, while Brunella takes up with a local tv idol, ... See full summary »

Director:

Paolo Virzì

Writers:

Francesco Bruni, Paolo Virzì

Stars:

Claudio Bigagli, Sabrina Ferilli, Massimo Ghini

4 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Claudio Bigagli	...	Bruno Nardelli
Sabrina Ferilli	...	Mirella
Massimo Ghini	...	Gerry Fumo
Giorgio Algranti	...	Renato
Emanuele Barresi	...	Luciano
Paola Tiziana Cruciani	...	Rossella (as Paola Tiziana Crociani)
Ugo Bencini	...	Father
Raffaella Lebboroni	...	Marisa Cavedoni
Roberto Marini	...	Ello Morini
Mario Erpichini	...	Direttore di banca

Storyline

Bruno and Mirella get married in 1989 and live in the little town of Piombino seems to be a bed of roses. After a while Bruno gets the sack, while Brunella takes up with a local tv idol, Gerry Fumo. When she realizes that Bruno can't stand being on the dole, she repents and wants to leave Gerry. It is too late: Bruno has found out everything and asks her to leave. After a while they take up another time, but they soon realize that their love story has ended. Mirella goes back to her parents' house and begins to work in a kindergarten, while Bruno finds a job at the local beach. The two begin to exchange a tender correspondence.

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Plot Keywords:

sex | adultery | female nudity

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

22 September 1994 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Living It Up

Filming Locations:

Piombino, Livorno, Tuscany, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Life International

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Bittersweet portrait of (not so) idyllic life in provincial Tuscany...

This film is definitely worth tracking down for Italian cinema connoisseurs for two reasons:

1) it's the (rather decent) directing debut of Paolo Virzi', one of the most acclaimed Italian film makers of recent memory. 2) It's the first real breakthrough role, both critically and for the public, for Sabrina Ferilli, which was shortly to become the most beloved actress in her own country, the years to follow. Her talents here (both thespian and physical it has to be said) are well on display and really deserving of her first acting prize of her career (the Silver Ribbon).

The film itself is a humble and bitter/sweet tale set among the ordinary folks of provincial Tuscany. It involves a young married couple (Bruno and Mirella) and their 'maturation' process, through small ambitions, delusions, betrayals, hope and (possible) reconciliation, no 'big picture' no 'happy ending' here: just life.

Needlees to say that here you won't see the same Tuscany that you see in "Room with a view" or "Under the Tuscan sun", but a Tuscany as it is really seen by millions of its inhabitants, having too much trouble dealing with the mundaneness of ordinary life to care about big romantic affairs or strolling along picturesque landscapes and medieval towns.

The world might have Monica Bellucci, but Italians have preferred to keep Sabrina all for themselves............... and who can blame them?