Film reviews and more since 2009
Pinocchio review (2019)
Dir. Matteo Garrone
By: Steve Pulaski
Rating: ★★★
Playing catch-up on some Oscar-nominated films in time for the Academy Awards on April 25th.
Perhaps it’s an unfair designation, but Matteo Garrone’s Pinocchio could be seen as a redemption hour for Roberto Benigni. Following the success of his 1998 film Life is Beautiful, he opted to make an expensive, live-action adaptation of the children’s classic Pinocchio in 2002. Then came trouble. Benigni not only made the questionable decision to cast himself as the wooden boy visually punished for telling a lie, but Harvey Weinstein and Miramax made the unforgivable choice to redub the entire film for its American release. Benigni, who was 49 at the time, and his graceful Italian dialog was replaced with 28-year-old Breckin Meyer to disastrous results. Benigni has since only directed one film.
Read the full review on Influx Magazine!
“Pinocchio” (2019) Review
About Steve Pulaski
Steve Pulaski has been reviewing movies since 2009 for a barrage of different outlets. He graduated North Central College in 2018 and currently works as an on-air radio personality. He also hosts a weekly movie podcast called "Sleepless with Steve," dedicated to film and the film industry, on his YouTube channel. In addition to writing, he's a die-hard Chicago Bears fan and has two cats, appropriately named Siskel and Ebert!
