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Originally planned as a miniseries for Italian television, The Best of Youth is a six hour film chronicling over 40 years of two Italian brothers from their college years in the '60s through present day, interconnecting their family, their friends and their country and its own history. As you might expect from a six hour epic, there are many historical and political subtexts at work here yet the films beauty lies in its powerful observation of family. The focus on the family is never lost. This is simply extraordinary storytelling. Through pivotal moments of life as well as Italy's history and culture The Best of Youth becomes a reflective parallel of life, family and country (both the joyous moments and the suffering). There is a visual beauty to the film is not only captured in the Italian landscapes but also in the expressive performances of the actors often greatly heightened in closeups. Marco Tullio Giordana (directing the outstanding screenplay of Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli) has a great feel for the characters and their emotions. It is here where The Best of Youth excels to another level as a filmmaking achievement. It is an epic film but one that is deeply moving for its small and intimate moments. The Best of Youth is conventional narrative filmmaking at its very finest.
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