Io non ho paura (I'm Not Scared) (2003)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Randy T

  
  Part suspenseful thriller and part coming-of-age drama, <i>I'm Not Scared</i> is a minor masterpiece of film making from director Gabriele Salvatores. It's a story of crime and courage, a story of a young boy's realization that there is evil in the world… More
  Part suspenseful thriller and part coming-of-age drama, <i>I'm Not Scared</i> is a minor masterpiece of film making from director Gabriele Salvatores. It's a story of crime and courage, a story of a young boy's realization that there is evil in the world and those nearest him are not only aware of it, they may be a part of it. Not a perfect film, but the flaws are completely forgivable.

• Stephen M

  
  This magical Italian rite of passage movie manages to do some difficult things very well but is less successful when bogged down with the demands of conventional storytelling. When it's going nowhere in particular, just showing something vaguely sinister chipping away at a… More
  This magical Italian rite of passage movie manages to do some difficult things very well but is less successful when bogged down with the demands of conventional storytelling. When it's going nowhere in particular, just showing something vaguely sinister chipping away at a boy's innocence, the film works brilliantly. However, when the plot asserts itself and that something sinister is defined - a kidnapping tale with a threat of John Paul Getty III-like aural mutilation - director Gabriele Salvatores' handling of the resultant thriller element is much less impressive. Worse still, for a film that I felt could go absolutely anywhere when it burst confidently onto the screen, things become disappointingly predictable towards the end. On the plus side, the child performances - so crucial to the success or failure of the movie - are excellent, especially those of Giuseppe Cristiano (Michele, the boy) and Giulia Matturo (Maria, his younger sister), and the Southern Italian countryside is simply breathtaking. My favourite moment is when Michele confesses to his sister that he cannot see her imaginary dog playing in the fields behind their house, and in the very next scene we see the combines rolling over the hill to harvest the wheat crop; we know with heartbreaking certainty that something intangible yet vitally important is gone forever, and that things can never be the same again for Michele.

• Stella D

  
  a good thriller from a child's eye view. great performances by the kids.

• Lady D

  
  Slow moving in parts, but still kept my interest throughout. A fresh perspective for this type of story and one that told through the eyes of a child. To have carried off the lead role in this film was perhaps difficult enough, but young Giuseppe Cristiano gave the most natural… More
  Slow moving in parts, but still kept my interest throughout. A fresh perspective for this type of story and one that told through the eyes of a child. To have carried off the lead role in this film was perhaps difficult enough, but young Giuseppe Cristiano gave the most natural performance (as did most of the children) and completely carried the film by himself. We see a little role reversal here as the emotion and caring comes from the child rather than the parents.

• Luke B

  
  A beautifully shot and highly engaging thriller. The mystery that surrounds the first act is enticing and the conclusion doesn't dissapoint. All performances are spot on, especially those by the child actors who never once let you doubt the blossoming friendship or the increasing… More
  A beautifully shot and highly engaging thriller. The mystery that surrounds the first act is enticing and the conclusion doesn't dissapoint. All performances are spot on, especially those by the child actors who never once let you doubt the blossoming friendship or the increasing tension. The less you know the better it will be.

• Dean M

  
  Bright Italian drama of a 10-year-old boy who discover another boy chained in a pit near his rural home. This film deftly blends coming-of-age themes with sadly chilling moments from a child so frightened that he thinks he is dead.

• Steve K

  
  Not so much scary as suspenseful, but still worthwhile.

• Bannan i

  
  I discovered this after discussing with someone who found it accidentally on one day...then flipping through onto TLN..what should I find but this. The story itself is quite intriguing...and rather endearing. While playing outside one day with his friends, Michele loses his… More
  I discovered this after discussing with someone who found it accidentally on one day...then flipping through onto TLN..what should I find but this. The story itself is quite intriguing...and rather endearing. While playing outside one day with his friends, Michele loses his sister's glasses...and when going back to find them...he discovers something quite extraordinary. A shief of metal covers the ground, and when lifted up reveals a hole that conveys a body of a young boy hidden by blankets. Putting his fears in the backseat, he goes home to discover his father home and can't stop thinking about his astonishing discovery. Getting in trouble for running away for hours on end and making his parents worry Michele edges on towards the hole in the ground. Time and time again, he discovers the body of the young boy is not dead...but very much alive. He helps him by handing down fresh water, and spending 500 lira on some bread. After time, he becomes friends with this young boy and when getting home one time realizes that things aren't exactly as they seem. This becomes apparent, when his father's friend Sergio comes to visit...and his curiousity gets the better of him, when he hears things he shouldn't. His fears are confirmed when he learns that the local badboy in town Felice is sniffing around the hole as well. When his best friend, Salvatore, shows him a collection of toy cars his uncle sends him Michele asks him if he can have the one van Salvatore isn't fond of. After much deliberation, he tells the secret in exchange for the car. Thinking he could trust Salvatore with such a secret, Michele goes back to see the little boy and eventually carries him out of the hole to spend a day in the sun. Yet, once placing him back in the ground Michele gets caught by Felice. And Felice gets mad at him, throwing him to the ground and eventually leading him to his car where Salvatore sits. In exchange for that information, it seems Felice allows Salvatore to drive his car. When they get back, Michele gets his whole family in trouble. His mother tries to proteact him but ends up getting beat on by Felice...and when Michele tries to tear the man off his mother his father and Sergio come in to set things straight. The adults are not happy with his discovery, and send him to get sleep...telling him to forget the whole thing ..but he can't. As Michele can't stop thinking about Filipo, why's he's in that hole and why he can't come out of there. Again, his bond with the young boy gets him into trouble again and again once he tries to figure out what is the right thing to do in such a situation. This was a lovely interesting story about a young boy who learns what right and wrong is and what he chooses to do in such a situation. The acting was incredible, and I didn't mind the fact that it was subtitled at all. The music really set the theme for each scene as well, adding drama and a sense of intrigue at various times.

• Eric B

  
  Beautifully photographed, and a great kid in the lead role. Was let down by the ending...anticipated something better in my mind. I won't say anything further, because that would be spoiling.

• Daisy M

  
  In this Italian movie Io Non Ho Paura, the beauty was in the simplicity of the children.It was told though the eyes of the 10 year old Michele. To Michele, the first discovery of Filippo would seem adventurous, entirely different from the reality of daily life. That was why some of… More
  In this Italian movie Io Non Ho Paura, the beauty was in the simplicity of the children.It was told though the eyes of the 10 year old Michele. To Michele, the first discovery of Filippo would seem adventurous, entirely different from the reality of daily life. That was why some of his behavior seemed a little difficult to understand..Michele did not understand about the kidnapping, he just felt that the creature in the hole was just a child like him. But he decided to relief his suffering, to bring him out of the hole, to let him see the sun and run through the fields. The movie was simply beautiful, perfectly cast, has superb acting and a suspense plot with a terrifying climax.

• George K

  
  What an ending! This film builds to a shocking finish. The movie focuses on a nine-year old boy Michele who discovers another boy Filippo being held prisoner in a deep hole. Michele soon learns his parents and their suspicious friends are involved in Filippo's predicament.… More
  What an ending! This film builds to a shocking finish. The movie focuses on a nine-year old boy Michele who discovers another boy Filippo being held prisoner in a deep hole. Michele soon learns his parents and their suspicious friends are involved in Filippo's predicament. Michele becomes friends with Filippo. His friendship develops into the ultimate sacrifice. Great Italian film!

• Marcus W

  
  Very good thriller shot from a childs viewpoint - reminiscent of Stand By Me. It's beautifully written and well acted, what stops it from getting a higher rating is that it reveals the truth too soon and eliminates the thrill and suspense, but there's still plenty of… More
  Very good thriller shot from a childs viewpoint - reminiscent of Stand By Me. It's beautifully written and well acted, what stops it from getting a higher rating is that it reveals the truth too soon and eliminates the thrill and suspense, but there's still plenty of tension right up to the end, it's just sotened. Recommended nonetheless

• FanGirl B

  
  Really gets under your skin.

• Wu C

  
  Beautifully shot and acted. I thought I was going to be watching something scary. What I got was a great drama/thriller with heart. Foreign film lovers will definately appreciate this one.

Read all 14 featured audience ratings