I just saw "Pinocchio" and I leaved the theater a little disappointed. Maybe because the film was too much waited; maybe because everybody though it could be better than "La Vita è Bella"; maybe because it isn"t a great movie.... I think that the biggest problem concerns how the film was written and directed. When I saw the first pictures of the film on magazines, I was impressed by the wonderful production design and I was sure it would be a really magical film. Unfortunately, Benigni decided to use his talents only in the acting: her good (not great) performance as Pinocchio is impressive but all the magic that the wonderful sets, costumes and cinematography could have done are destroied by a totally anonymous film direction. You can see it from the beginning: the Blue Fairly could be presentd with such intensity and magic but unfortunately there isnt any charm. The atmosphere was perfect to create a memorable magic opening sequence, but the direction seems uninspired. Then Benigni proved he can"t direct the actors: Nicoletta Braschi is a good actress (look at her great performance in "Ovosodo") but she gives her worst performances when the director is Benigni. As the Blue Fairly she is a little better than Dora in "La Vità è Bella", but she is totally unispired by her great character. All the film is full of these kind of scenes: you wish to watch at last one really magic and inspired scene during the film, but you are totally disappointed as the end credits starts. If only Benigni would decided to be directed by someone else... Some characters are well played (as Geppetto and the Cricket) but the others aren"t soo good, as comic duo Fichi D"India (they play the Cat and the Fox), who simply recicles its TV work. However, I liked the performance of Kim Rossi Stuart: I liked how the character was written, how he interacts with Pinocchio and how the character is played. I think Kim Rossi Stuart gives her best performance in this movie and his work is also one of the best performances on the film. Maybe because all his scenes are well.written and his "subplot" with Pinocchio is the best part of the film: there isn"t nothing special about Pinocchio-Blue Fairly scenes, nothing special about Pinocchio-Geppetto scenes but the scenes between Pinocchio and Lucignolo (Rossi Stuart) are the best moments of the film and their last scene is a little moving. In other words, "Pinocchio" is a missed-chance: there were all the elements to be a wonderful movie: Director Benigni and Co-Writer Benigni lose that great chance. The film is only a tale without a soul.
Review of Pinocchio
