Had great pleasure in enjoying the original track. The story is long, maybe bewildering for who does not know anything about Italian angst. The contrast between two sons and their place in their immediate family is very well portrayed as well as is their interaction between themselves and their common interest. Their family ties are strong but in the end their personal demons decide their fate.

I watched this film in my Political Science 226 Government and Politics of Western Europe class. While I felt the film was interesting and mirrored some of the problems that Italy faced in the 1980s during the Craxi years of government (1983-1987), it appeared to me that the film ended on a too positive note. (There is no discussion on the corruption of the Berlusconi administration.)

Also, while I think the artistic direction of the film was relatively believable, it seemed to push Andrea's character into adulthood too quickly for no apparent reason. Additionally, Giorgia's character simply disappears after being released from the mental hospital and back into society.

I am not trying to criticize the film. It was not horrible. In fact, Nicola and Matteo (two brothers) are both interesting - seeing how each attempts to deal with the corruption in Italy. Nicola works within the system (becomes a doctor and tries to reform the mental health industry, and Matteo tries to join a part of a larger group such as the military and then civilian law-enforcement, in the hope of making a difference.

Nicola's girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Sara, believes that change can only be achieved through violence, while Nicola's mother believes education is the future.

Therefore, in the interactions of these characters - following the journey of members of one Italian family - the viewer will receive a larger picture of Italy. However, it will not be a full picture or a completely accurate one. Poverty is really not shown in this film. In fact, after about 1988, the film begins to move at a very rapid pace, ignoring the development of the Northern League and the collapse of the Christian Democrat and Socialist parties.

In short:
The film is certainly worth watching - it may even be worth purchasing if you are an afficiando. However, I do not think the film conveys the culture and political situation in Italy as well as Dickens' "Bleak House" (1986 or 2006 adaptation) conveyed the political and cultural situation of mid-19th century England.

This film is beautifully directed, written and acted. It's a history, yet an intimate one, of over 40 years(1966-2001) in the lives of a group of friends. It takes place in Italy and the richness of the experiences of these brothers, their parents and friends creates a moving narrative set against the beauty of the Italian cities and the events of history during those violent decades. This film captures what Peter Brook describes as the "distance of myth and the intimacy of reality".
It's the best six hours I have spent in front of a TV set in many years.

My junior year in college I took an Italian film class to fulfill some bs requirement, little did I know I would leave the class having seen one of the greatest films in my lifetime. When I heard we were watching a six hour subtitled movie all I could think was, "Oh great, this should be fun..." After the movie was over the only thought that came to my mind was sadness because it was over.

This is probably the only film have ever seen where I feel connected with the characters, by the end of the film you just keep wanting to live their lives with them, whether it be the friendships Nicola has, or the relationship between the family.

Not only will this film leave you connected but it will leave you thinking as well, there are so many things you need to figure out for yourself. I know not many people will want to take the plunge into a subtitled artsy film that is six hours long, but I guarantee you that if you do you will not regret it at all.

Regardless of whether this movie is a masterpiece or not, I am sure you are simply wondering if it is a good idea to invest six ours of your life in it, and perhaps do so more than once.

The answer is yes. More and more often I meet people, both Italians and Americans, of any age, who have seen it: not only they are immensely enthusiastic; they were in fact incapable to split it in different sessions. I recommend you watch it on saturday night: you are going to bed somewhere between 2:00 and 3:00 am.

As you know, the movie follows a family in forty years: you are guided through most of the relevant italian events: the flood of Florence, the angels of the mud, May '68, university occupations, the Basaglia law, terrorism, the anti-mafia team, the political scandals, and so on. It will certainly appeal to italophiles. Then again, it seems most educated americans are.

At the end, you'll feel as if you knew each character as an old friend, and Italy as a place you have been living for a while.

Personally, what I have most enjoyed about it was the recurring feeling that, in life, everything, good and bad, ends up to somehow right and necessary in its own way; and also the idea that trying to do your part in being happy and improving your corner of the word might be more important than any great revolution.