Cari fottutissimi amici (1994) User Reviews (3)

Surviving Is Better than Living

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 3 September 2009]

In August 1944, in the chaotic post-war Italy, the former boxer Dieci (Paolo Villaggi) organizes a troupe of five young starving men to fight box for food and small change in villages avid to celebrate the end of the war. While heading to Monteriggioni in an old truck, Diece rescues the black American private Washington (Childs Elijah Raynard) from an Italian family. Later he invites the fascist Rosa, who had her hair cut like a man to indicate that she was a traitor, to join the group. When they meet a troop of American soldiers, they are invited to exhibit in their base. Back on the road, they meet Wilma (Antonella Ponziani), who asks for a lift and invites them to a wedding party. During their trip, they learn lessons of life, friendship and betrayal. Years later, Dieci concludes that surviving is better than living.

"Cari Fottutissimi Amici" is a dramatic and extremely funny black comedy. The environment of a country in the post-war is unusual for a comedy, but Mario Monicelli gives the right doses of humor and drama in a perfect balance, and the story is never hysterically funny or corny. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Caros F… Amigos" ("Dear F... Friends")

A so called: Smooth-funny-original comedy

[tomasdelara · 9/10 · 7 August 2006]

Indeed I may say this is a worthwhile comedy.

The Dialogs are great, and you will feel like traveling around the Tuscany, beautiful and sunny region.

If you like Mario Monicelli's work, certainly, you will like this one, but don't expect a 10 out of 10 movie, as For Love and Gold, (1966).

There are two interesting considerations to be made about this movie:

1st one is that it makes you laugh, and wonder, about a post-war country, and it's miseries.

2nd one is that in the middle of the poverty, and wretchedness, that is widely shown, there is a man, the pugilist trainer, that believes in it's success and is capable of compelling others to fight (literally), for food, and that surviving is better than living.

Only if you watch this movie, you will understand, what I am saying !

Only Mario Monicelli...

[shatguintruo · 9/10 · 11 May 2007]

Italy. End of the Second World War. A former entrepreneur of boxers launches in a adventure without fear: to congregate a group of amateur fighters who want to gain some "small change". Comedy of black mood signed by one of the greatest Director of the Seven Art (Mario Monicelli) the film has moments of incredible hilarity, as the scene: The personage called Diece - interpreted by Paolo Villagio - pay attention to his voice: it makes us to laugh only to listen to - stops in front of a jewelry store and when inquired for a person what he's doing in there, answers: I'm waiting the store to open in order to receive potatoes from favour... When the shop's owner arrives and sees a multitude of persons in front of it, orders everybody to hell... But before Diece had sold "his first place" in the line for a reasonable amount of money... Another memorable scene is that one in which "we're introduced" to an old truck that - will carry the "profissional fighters" - moves with a speed of a turtle and snorts and expells smoke, due a mixture of gas and water... This is without a doubt a great film )make by a Master) and surely deoppilate the liver because is makes us laugh until the tears. In a scale of 1 to 10, I vote: 9