‘Happy as Lazzaro’ comes and goes like an airy fable but doesn’t make as much of an impact as it wants to. Through a lack of convincing and earned pivot, its first half in realism drags down the escapism it yearns for in its second half. Its ambition is to be commended and is definitely a film that deserves to be seen, but as a whole is just verging on greatness. - Ashley Teresa Read Ashley's full…

A tale (or fable?) of social commentary by directress and writer Alice Rohrwacher (that I first knew in the short "Le Pupille") in rural Italy with touches of anti capitalism and class division, where sharecroppers live, without knowing their semi-slavery state because of lack of knowledge. Lazzaro the protagonist, is an innocent character that is happy to make others happy, in the pureness of his heart. He doesn't…

Adriano Tardiolo is really good in this biblically apt story of the young “Lazzaro”. He’s a generous-spirited young man who energetically helps out in his community - one under the thumb of the uncaring dominatrix “Marchesa” (Nicoletta Braschi) who treats this agrarian community little better than the animals she describes them as. She has a teenage son “Tancredi” (Luca Chikovani) who, though spoiled, has a bit of a…