Alessandro Bergonzoni, Breckin Meyer, Bruno Arena

Nearly abandoned by its distributor and savaged by critics, Roberto Benigni's Pinocchio is an object lesson in the hazards of success. Bolstered by his Oscar®-winning triumph Life Is ...( read more  read more... )Beautiful, the popular Italian actor-director-comedian was given carte blanche and chose Carlo Collodi's classic 1885 fairy tale as his next lavish project. This sumptuous production literally glows with traditional Italian craftsmanship, from delightful costumes and storybook sets by the late, great production designer Danilo Donati (whose last film this was) to the radiant palette of Dante Spinotti's masterful cinematography. This is one of the most beautiful of all Italian films, which only makes its shortcomings more conspicuous. At 50, Benigni is utterly wrong as the puppet who yearns to be a real boy, and his wife Nicoletta Braschi is similarly miscast as the Blue Fairy. Even worse, Breckin Meyer's English dubbing for Pinocchio is insufferably shrill, draining the appeal of Benigni's own performance. Pinocchio has many laudable qualities, but genuine enchantment is nowhere to be found. --Jeff Shannon

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40% liked it

7,741 ratings

G, 80 min.

Directed by: Roberto Benigni

Release Date: January 1, 2002

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DVD Release Date: July 15, 2003

Stats: 185 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (185)


  • August 23, 2007
    This is without a dobut the best example of why films shouldn't be dubbed over. It's one thing to completly miscast a film. (At 50 Roberto Benigni should have figured out that he maybe wrong for the role.) But it's the painfully dull voice work of Breckin Meyer that makes this a ...( read more)diaster cause of course why would audiences want to read at the movies? Maybe because that may the magic of the performances and power of the filmmaking doesn't get ruined by dumbasses.
  • August 3, 2007
    Gosh, what a piece of pretentious guffaw-inducing celluloid. Benigni doesn't fit the Pinocchio role well. He's not cute or funny - he's a bit of a buffoon. There's no magic here; move along!
  • September 11, 2007
    Ew. This movie sucked in Italian and the dubbing on the English version was horrible!
  • November 22, 2009
    I like Roberto Benigni ( Life is Beautiful)
  • August 17, 2009
    the story was nice, i love the story w/ the fairy., but i dont like the Pinocchio character,.
    it's a childish old man, he act like a child.., not suit to him,. eow,,!!
  • January 15, 2009
    Great movie! Very true to the book.... Down to the woman in the woods with blue hair! : )
  • October 15, 2008
    Not my favourite Disney movie, but still a great one.
  • August 20, 2008
    I think this was more theatrical movie about the original book. Perfect results.
  • May 24, 2008
    A boy who won't be good, might just as well be made of wood!!
  • January 14, 2008
    Benigni is the only adult that could act out Pinocchio so well!

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