Nos meilleures années

Can art transform life? If so, I would elect "The Best of Youth" as a primary candidate for that possibility.

Almost never in my over 60 years of film viewing have I been as deeply affected, haunted by characterizations, poetic dialog and brilliantly unexpected turns...and breadth of scope. The nuances of relationship between people...in this case the Italian family Carati, their lovers, friends, wards...are so moving, so deeply portrayed and inhabited by the actors that I was not only moved to tears, but inspired. Here is a view of how human beings can live the humanity so desperately needed in this crazed and warring world...also presented as an integral part of plot and interaction...and this done without any sort of didactic or polemic foisting...All achieved through the intimate and profound struggles of the film's characters.

Imagination and the incredible sensibility of director (Marco Tullio Giordana),writers (Petraglia and Rulli) and actors (most outstanding: Luigi LoCacio, Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti and Jasmine Trinca) combine to offer a film that carried this participant (for that's what I felt) into a realm only experienced by exceptional literature.

As is obvious...I highly recommend seeing this movie.

The Best of Youth is a wonderfully scripted, acted, and visually stunning film that will sweep you off your feet and into the lives of an Italian family as they go through the trials and tribulations of life. The film's main focus is on two brothers, Nicola and Matteo Catiti whose personalities are as different as night and day yet is also immediately apparent that these two love each other very much. Nicola is the younger, free spirited and philosophical brother while Matteo is more outspoken, with a hot temper and closed personality.

What I admired most throughout this film was the use and passage of time. Events in Italian history are not crammed into 120 minutes but is instead elongated, as Matteo and Nicola react in their own ways to the events that occur in their country. Time is such an important factor in this film, evidents not only by the six hour running time, but how those six hours are treated. Special occasions occur, yet none are given any special attention. The events that occur are important for that moment in time, yet one pass become mere memories such is the case of life.

With the passage of time, The Best Of Youth became such a moving experience for me. I felt as if I were a part of their family. I could not touch them, or talk to them, yet they seemed to welcome me with open arms as I silently watched their lives unfold before me. I could feel the love this family had for each other as I laughed and cried right beside them. Words just do not seem to be enough to describe the brilliance of this film. It is literally life transferred on screen.

The Best of Youth is remarkably acted and directed. At no time during this film was I bored, because such attention is made to character development, script, and cinematography. In the first part of the film, Nicola is exploring Norway, and sends a postcard to his brother back home telling him of his travels and experiences, and in three words, seems to sum up the film perfectly: "Life is beautiful." After viewing this film, you will share the same perspective.

HIGHLY Recommended

It's hard not to feel like an "easy" grader to give this film a 10, given that it is the very simple story of a family over 4 decades, no quirky writing or the eccentricities of "indie" films - just beautiful scenery, characters that move us and that we care about, and a sweet and believable story. The acting is excellent.

To say this is a miniseries is misleading and adds the impression of a "cheese" factor that is not present. There is a reason that this film has been taken from the small screen and released in theaters - I didn't even know it had been a miniseries until I read some of the comments here.

The story is simple but it is not trite; we may not have a huge number of surprises and no amazing plot twists and contortions but it is an emotional, moving, satisfying story.

The most moving part of the story is the love and connectedness between the characters, and how this is expressed - here in the U.S. physical display of platonic affection is virtually non-existent, unless you count athletes hitting each other on the rear. You can tell these characters really care for each other.

I sat for the second three hours today with people who sat through the first three hours with me yesterday. Some yesterday just got back in line for part 2. There was a line waiting to get in today - all people who had seen part 1 already.

Saying this movie is like Zelig as someone here did is false and insulting. We couldn't tell a story about a U.S. family that spans the 60's to the present without mentioning Viet Nam or Watergate or 9/11, so this story of course mentions events internal to Italy during that time. The historical events are a backdrop to the story, not the story itself.

The story is about this family, and we care about what happens to them. We become engaged, we sit and watch and laugh and cry with them. That's what movies are supposed to do.

Having just returned at 2 am from a festival showing of the movie that started at 5:30, I still can think of nothing but looking for anything and everything about this exceptional film that I came across more or less by accident. I can only sum up two points: it is an excellent yet easy-going overview of recent Italian history, and a truly moving, in an unbanal and unstereotypical, unpopcorny way, movie about the value of friendship, closeness, family. This film makes you want to live, to cherish the people you love and to be aware of the consequences of your acts. City living makes sour cynics out of teenage optimists (I'd count myself in until now), and this one is a lesson of keeping the best of yourself throughout life. A true inspiration! Bravo.

This is a great movie! I thought that all of the acting by every single actor in the movie was just bloody fantastic. I thought that every one of the characters in the movie was very believable and all of them brought me to certain emotions, it was just a great story told in a great way and again what sold it all to me was the great acting by everyone involved from the stars on down to just the supporting bit players who make this movie work. Great big kudos to the director for getting such wonderful performances out of all of these people, I would definitely recommend seeing it to any fan of movies and/or fans of great acting.