Nos plus belles années

Italian cinema doesn't need big productions or state-of-the-art technology to make good films. It is not a defect, but a virtue. A good script, good actors, efficient directing and editing and, practically, it's done. Said like that, it even seems easy, because that's the idea we get when we watch some of these movies. The last one that left me this idea was Gli anni più belli (Gabriele Muccino, 2020).

For about two hours, we follow 40 years in the lives of four friends, Giulio, Paolo, Ricardo and Gemma, marked by many disagreements and many other encounters. The intimate life episodes are framed in the social and political context that has shaped Italy over the last four decades, adding value to the film.

But what really catches our attention is the imitation of life as it is, with conquests and disappointments; difficulties and successes; expectations that change according to reality; encounters with the lost hope; questioning and incessant search for happiness, which, even unconscious, is always latent.

If there is anything in the story that we can learn from, it is to realize that being successful may not translate into obtaining great profits or prominent positions, that happiness is not accounted for in monetary values, that the things that make us happy are really the simplest things (although it is a commonplace) and that it is on them that we should focus, otherwise we will see life pass without us having made it our own.

And, as everything is cyclical, the last sequence shows a couple of teenagers who, like so many others before them, are starting their journey, to, in the end, probably, reach the same conclusion, although with diverse life experiences. This also seems to alert us that life is too short to be spent with people you don't like or doing something that doesn't mean anything to you, but I guess though too obvious, it's something each and every one of us will only learn by living.

What a film. It's about love, honest and sincere love. About mistakes, forgiveness, desire, friendship and love again. A film that has touched me incredibly.

"Gli anni più belli" portraits 40 years in the life of four friends whose personal stories intersects recent history. On the steps of Lelouch "Bolero" and Scola's "C'eravamo tanto amati", which is explicitly quoted. Although the movie develops on the edge of mannerism and can be fairly accused of lacking subtlety in some of its topic scenes (as often with Muccino's work), its message is true and powerful: the best years are the ones we dare to live fully. Love is not the romantic fantasy that happens to you in Hollywood movies, it is not a commodity, but it is an ongoing practice of care, respect, forgiveness for others. Connection is the answer. All actors deliver great performances (Ramazzotti in particular). The movie is packed with quotations from Italian classics which will please movie lovers.

It speaks beautifully about life as something so challenging but also so wonderful and unique. It portrays 40 years in life of 4 friends. All the ups and downs, love and hate and all the suffering that a real friendship can cause you. This film makes you feel something and wants you to live your life the best as you possibly can but to never forget the people that have been by your side.

Gabriele Muccino's Gli Anni Più Belli aspires to be an epic tale of friendship, love, and personal growth over four decades, but it ultimately falters under the weight of its clichés, melodrama, and lack of emotional authenticity. While the film boasts a talented cast and a polished production, it fails to deliver the depth and resonance necessary to leave a lasting impact.

The film's narrative, chronicling the lives of four friends from youth to adulthood, is disappointingly predictable. It relies heavily on well-worn tropes-romantic triangles, betrayals, and career struggles-that feel recycled rather than fresh. Instead of delving into the nuances of evolving relationships or societal changes over time, the plot skims the surface, offering little more than a series of contrived dramatic moments.

Despite the efforts of an accomplished cast, the characters lack depth and complexity. Their arcs are telegraphed from the start, leaving little room for surprise or genuine growth. Relationships that should feel profound and transformative instead come across as shallow, and the frequent melodramatic outbursts only highlight the lack of subtlety in the script.

Muccino leans heavily on sentimentality, often pushing emotional scenes to the point of excess. Moments meant to be poignant or heartwarming instead feel overwrought and manipulative, undermining the sincerity of the film's message. This reliance on exaggerated emotions results in a tone that feels more soap opera than cinematic.

While the film spans decades, it does little to meaningfully engage with the political, social, or cultural shifts of the periods it portrays. The setting often feels like mere window dressing, with the characters' personal dramas taking center stage at the expense of a richer, more layered context. This lack of historical depth makes the film feel disconnected from the very eras it seeks to represent.

The musical score, while pleasant, is overly saccharine and heavy-handed, often telegraphing emotions rather than allowing the story to evoke them naturally. This further detracts from the film's ability to connect with the audience on a deeper level, making even its most emotional moments feel forced.

Gli Anni Più Belli aims to be a sweeping exploration of friendship and life's complexities but ends up feeling like a shallow, overly sentimental melodrama. Despite its star-studded cast and nostalgic ambitions, the film lacks the emotional honesty and narrative depth needed to make it truly memorable. For all its aspirations, it delivers little more than a glossy, predictable tale that's as forgettable as it is contrived.