Il mostro

Roberto Benigni's "The Monster" is a laugh-a-second romp that is truly reminiscent of the greater works of Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Peter Sellers. Benigni stars as a loser who works for a mannequin company who unwittingly becomes caught up with the authorities who believe that he is the titled character, a man who has been raping and murdering women all over the city. Naturally, Benigni is not the guy they are after but all the strange coincidences make him appear to be the criminal. Undercover beauty Nicoletta Braschi (Benigni's real-life wife) tries to trap Benigni by enticing him in the most creative ways. The film is great fun, but it is very adult-oriented with sexual situations and innuendos galore. Overall "The Monster" is a really great film and Benigni fans will love it more than most others. Plot resolution late hurts the film, but not enough to keep it from being very successful overall. 4 stars out of 5.

I was told by my Doctor to laugh a lot as it will help me improve my situation. Well, after watching Robert Benigni in the Movie" Il Mostro," I could not Stop laughing. I have seen it more than 6 times, and each time is like watching it for the first time. Wonderful prescription for anyone needing to laugh a lot. I intend to buy the film soon, for it is my prescription for good health. In fact i plan on watching it again with my family very soon. The acting by all in the Movie was done very professionally. The scenes, in itself was very good. I especially enjoyed the scene on the scaffold and the one where everyone was chasing him down the street.

After seeing the trailer for this film, in France and in French, I thought that it should be given a wide berth. But I watched it with a friend one night and still laugh about it 10 years later. It was brilliant. Absolute pure genius. While the scenes looked ridiculous in the trailer, they were very funny in the context of the film. The story is simple, innocent bumbler is mistaken for a serial killer, but the talent of Benigni, both in his writing and his acting, makes the error plausible and for a great film. The scene on the scaffolding is one of my all time favorite comedy moments and the several unexpected meetings with a neighbour, whilst Benigni is walking along on his haunches (trying to avoid his caretaker as he is behind in his rent)are both funny and very touching, especially when Nicoletta Braschi comes on the scene. Just watch it and enjoy. But only if it's in it's original version, Italian. Otherwise don't!

This is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Benigni is a genius when it comes to comedy, the modern Charlie Chaplain. After `Life is Beautiful', this is probably his best movie.

A sex-crazed serial killer is on the loose and has already killed a dozen women. When the goofy Loris (Benigni) is mistaken for the killer and the local police launch a 24-hour surveillance of his crazy life, the laughs begin and never end. Benigni's real-life wife, Nicoletta Braschi, also in `Life is Beautiful', stars in this one as well as a police officer who goes undercover to catch him in the act. She sublets (illegally) his apartment and movies in with him to try to entice him into his sexual psychosis. When normal life fails, she then must dance around the apartment naked shoving her genitalia right into his face.

It's a little on the edge, but in the tradition of Benigni comedy, is still quite tasteful. 17 and over only though. Sexually explicit scenes all over the place, but no nudity.

What an excellent movie 'Il Mostro' is! It is absolutely certain that it will destroy you from the first moment.

Make sure you watch it in Italian audio though. A lot of Benigni's (as of course any other actor's) performance comes out of projecting his lines and Benigni always sounds hilarious.

And don't expect to see 'scary movie' here. This is quality comedy, with great script and a genius actor.

Don't miss it!

9/10