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Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: The First Beautiful Thing is Italy′s 2010 Academy Award® submission. The film follows a strong and optimistic mother raising her two children against all odds. Throughout grief and pain she teaches her family to remain open and loving and to cherish the little joys in life. This beauutiful and touching comedic drama from acclaimed Italian director Paolo Virzì is filled with unforgettable and emotional true-to-life performances. (Palisade Tartan) Collapse
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. Reviewed by: Neil Genzlinger
    Apr 14, 2011
    90
    Comedy and poignancy weave together in Mr. Virzì's hands, but the maudlin meter only occasionally goes into the red zone. And Ms. Pandolfi gives such an exquisitely understated performance that you don't realize until the very end that the film was as much about her character as it was about Bruno and Anna.
  2. Reviewed by: Ty Burr
    Jun 9, 2011
    63
    The First Beautiful Thing is the kind of movie - that escapes the sick room to cavort at carnivals and eat cotton candy until the inevitable relapse.
  3. Reviewed by: Joe Neumaier
    Apr 15, 2011
    60
    A streak of "Cinema Paradiso" runs through this Italian dramedy - and while it lacks that film's overflowing emotion, it's filled with its own artfulness and warmth.
  4. 60
    Italian audiences are bound to like it and the broadness of plot and appeal suggests casual fans of foreign film should, too.

See all 10 Critic Reviews

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