Fantozzi

Paolo Villaggio was a top-tier actor. Delivering such comedic situations with such grace, where you know it’s absolute nonsense but still enjoy it and find it pleasant to watch, is a rare talent. Even though I’m from a newer generation, a 45-year-old comedy can still entertain me. And this one does it doubly so! I thoroughly enjoyed the satire on human misfortune; after so many viewings, you simply know it by heart. It might offer some weaker sequences, but the pace of the sharp, funny lines overwhelms them. The highlight of the first film for me is the ritual of getting up exactly on time in the morning—it tore my diaphragm to shreds. You shouldn’t view the film as a cohesive whole and focus on the story; here, you need to savor the individual sketches, even if they don’t always connect. The ending surprised me a bit after all these years; I personally didn’t find it very appealing. Still, the film is a personal favorite. For me, it’s 8/10. (25.11.2020)