RipDelight
This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.
AutCuddly
Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,
Griff Lees
Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.
Annie Byers
In the film, Anita is taken to live with her Aunt Monica and her family in Czechoslovakia where she spends her days trapped inside taking care of their son Robbie and telling him of her time in Auschwitz because no one else will listen. She soon falls in love with Eli and becomes pregnant, but when he pressures her to abort the child, she escapes to Jerusalem to start a new life for herself.The beauty of Anita B. derives from the remarkable detail brought to a simple and truthful storyline through incredible acting. Though most of the film simply shows Anita working through her daily routine, her emotions are worn for everyone to see and make her an extremely sympathetic character. Powell beautifully portrays the innocence of a young woman confused by her station in life and longing for some affection and security. Her superb acting is accompanied by that of Sheehan, who plays Eli. Throughout the story, it is difficult to make a decision about his character. At times he is lovable and sweet to Anita and in others he is so vile that it is impossible to understand how she could love him. One of the most heart wrenching moments in the film is when he tells Anita that the last thing he wants is to bring a child into that world. This complex moment truly shows the three dimensionality of his character. The death of his fiancée has destroyed his faith in the world and he cannot fathom knowingly bringing a child into the harsh society in which he is forced to live. The film is also incredibly well written and executed cinematically. The story clearly demonstrates that everyone at that time was effected by the Holocaust in some way or another and that there was no good way to deal with the aftermath of all that pain. Anita takes comfort in describing her experiences to Robbie as a sort of therapy, but Monica plagued with the guilt of a survivor, refuses to acknowledge that anything had even happened. She copes by blocking out the past instead of remembering and learning from it. Then there is David, Anita's confidante who follows the path of many young Jewish people at the time and decides to escape the death of his parents by going to Jerusalem, and of course Eli who has taken to pessimism and women in order to numb the pain of it all. Each character is faced with the challenge of trying to move on and the difficulty of that task is executed masterfully throughout the film. The film also transports the viewer into this time period through cinematic choices made to give it the look of a much older film. The sepia quality used not only ages the movie, but also creates an essence of darkness and despair that suits the time period.
Hannah Schmidt
Anita B. tells the story of a young Holocaust survivor who goes to live with her aunt and uncle in the Czech Republic following the war. When she first arrives, Anita is prohibited from leaving the house until her immigration papers are finished. She cares for and comes to love her little cousin Roby, and she shares a bedroom with her uncle's brother Eli, who treats her less than kindly by attempting to coerce her into a sexual relationship. Prior to the arrival of her papers, Anita gains her family's approval to attend a party, where the police discover her and throw her in jail. Eventually, Anita is allowed to leave the jail and return to her aunt's house. When she hears Eli's own survival story from the war, Anita develops feelings for him, and soon she allows him to sleep with her, but only after he promises that he loves her. From this occurrence, Anita becomes pregnant. Eli refuses to allow her to carry the child, and he takes her to Prague to force her to have an abortion against her will. The doctor in Prague is kind and understanding, and gives Eli's money to Anita to help her escape. She goes to the Jewish Refugee Center, where she leaves for Palestine in the hopes of being reunited with her best friend David.The film artistically created a complex emotional story which demonstrated the various ways humans react to tragedy. Anita longed for someone to talk to about her struggles, finding it impossible to forget them and move on. Her aunt Monika demonstrated the guilt of survival when her entire family had died, resenting Anita for being another survivor and for talking to Roby about the events in Auschwitz. As Anita points out, Eli became such an unreliable romantic partner due to his experiences in the Holocaust. He fights against his emotional feelings for Anita, while simultaneously being overbearing and controlling her. Eli's difficult past made it hard to consider him the true villain of the story, even though his actions often harmed Anita. The movie balanced the difficulties in overcoming such a tragedy with the underlying hope of better days following the tragedy's end. Although we see Anita vulnerable and devastated by loss, we also believe that she can live the rest of her life at peace after the end of the film. The cinematography uses sepia tones to convey the setting of the film in the past. The scenery and the architecture displayed paint a lovely picture of the Czech Republic and the city of Prague. We are transported to a vivid Jewish culture, with upbeat, lively dances and pride which remains strong even after persecution. Overall, the film is an excellent celebration of Jewish culture that artfully combines the pain of World War II with the pride and strength of survival. It celebrates the traditions of Judaism and the hope of many more years of the religion's regrowth and prosperity.
cbeatric
The film Anita B by Roberto Faenza is a heartwarming, dramatic masterpiece. Shortly after World War II, a young Hungarian woman named Anita leaves the concentration camp where she spent the war. Anita moves in with her aunt Monica, a woman hardened by survivor's guilt, Monica's husband, their son, and Eli, Monica's brother-in-law. While Anita tries hard to remember her past, Monica fights to forget. Anita finds solace in her friendship with Eli, which quickly escalates into an unhealthy relationship. Anita's time in Czechoslovakia is marked by heartache and growth. As Anita finds her identity, we see her confidence soar. Despite the obstacles, Anita fights for what she knows is right and refuses to ever back down.Anita B closely follows Anita's life after her time in Auschwitz. Within the first few minutes of the film, we see the look of despair on the young girl's face, despite her freedom from the concentration camp. We quickly understand that she is orphaned and, much like we will see with her aunt later, experiencing survivor's guilt. Faenza's ability to convey so much in such a small amount of time only begins to show his capacity as a director. Anita's desire to remember the events of her life set up initial conflict between her and her aunt. Monica knew the horrors of the camps, yet ignored them in an effort to suppress her true feelings about recent events.Anita turns to her friendship with Eli in an effort to find an ally. Eli provides Anita with guidance and acts as a buffer between Anita and Monica by defending and protecting her. Eli's feelings toward Anita, however, appear to grow into romantic attraction and his lack of subtlety is evident to viewers. Initially hesitant, Anita feigns sleep and laughs off his advances. While her attraction is noticeable, her insecurities dominate her mind and prevent her from moving forward. Eli is a complex character, and his previous dedication to his fiancé shows that he is capable of the kind of love Anita craves. Despite this capacity, we see Eli turn into a complacent lover. Eli is fully aware of Anita's love for him, yet acts selfishly and emotionally distant. We understand that Eli's past had a profound impact on his character, yet it is hard not to get frustrated by his actions.Anita's story is told against the beautiful background of Czechoslovakia after World War II. We see pride and shame from Jewish characters, the fear of being associated with the Nazis, and the overall degradation of certain groups. Despite living in these conditions, the undertones of strength are evident. Faenza portrays a people not broken, but reevaluating what it means to be Jewish. The hardships portrayed in the film really resonate with the audience and make deep, personal connections with viewers. This beautiful film is surely going to be a hit, and the story is so powerful that it should be retold. It is important not to ignore or forget, but to remember.
niutta-enrico
I will start listing the good things I found in this movie: it transmits the passion that has been put in the making. It deals finely with the most delicate matter of the past Century: the genocide of six million Jews during World War II. It gives hope. On the other hand, however, it shows the (most irritating to me) lack of narrative depth that I so frequently find in modern Italian productions. What kind of audience could find convincing a woman saying to a girl she just met 'the best way to explain to you what love means is playing this melody on the piano'? And people who hurt other people, why would do they do that? We are not given an explanation of their behavior, not a hint. Should we believe that they are just born different from the others, that mankind could be divided into those who keep smiling (the good ones), those who never do (the bad ones) and those who sneer (the deceiving ones)? I hate it when the script requires me a leap of faith to believe the story.I have my own theory: I think Italian cinema has reached an all-time low and people by now are so used to bad films that good Authors (like the present ones) do not feel anymore the need for a really good production, starting from a sound screenplay. I am Italian and I love movies. Nothing could please me more than watching beautiful Italian movies.
