The First Beautiful Thing
Seen it?2010 | 122 min | Comedy, Drama
Sunday Safe BetWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (62 on Metacritic), though it had almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who wants a laugh.
- The mood
- Funny with heart.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 2 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
The film tells the story of the Michelucci family, from the nineteen-seventies to the present day: the central character is the stunningly beautiful Anna, the lively, frivolous and sometimes embarrassing mother of Bruno and Valeria. Everything begins in the Summer of 1971, at the annual Summer beauty pageant held at Livorno’s most popular bathing establishment. Anna is unexpectedly crowned “Most Beautiful Mother”, unwittingly stirring the violent jealousy of her husband. From then on, chaos strikes the family and for Anna, Bruno and his sister Valeria, it is the start of an adventure that will only end thirty years later.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
62 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsWeak
0 wins and 3 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 4K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Paolo Virzì
- Valerio MastandreaBruno Michelucci
- Micaela RamazzottiAnna Nigiotti in Michelucci 1971-1981
- Stefania SandrelliAnna Nigiotti in Michelucci 2009
- Claudia PandolfiValeria Michelucci
- Marco MesseriIl Nesi
- Fabrizia SacchiSandra
- Aurora FrascaValeria Michelucci 1971
- Giacomo BibbianiBruno Michelucci 1971
- Giulia BurgalassiValeria Michelucci 1981
- Francesco RapalinoBruno Michelucci 1981