"Happy as Lazzaro" is a transcendent and at times fantastical tale of a boy who is too good for the world he lives in. It manages to feel like a fairy tale as well as a grounded story that has something real to say. The grainy camera complements the rural setting that makes it feel like it's set in almost a different world, yet the human traits it's rooted in are very relatable. It is a kind of fantasy, where Lazzaro has several unrealistic traits that separate him from everyone else, but the fantasy fits here as it exists to communicate the film's themes. It is not fantasy for the sake of it.
There is allegory in this tale, which at times takes turns that are bizarre and unexpected. Lazzaro is unique, a glimmer of hope in a world full of evil, with an innocent, youthful face that clearly marks him out from everyone else. The key to understanding them is understanding Lazzaro's role. He is described as a saint, but he is also so innocent that he does not understand that humans can be evil. They are able to exploit his lack of awareness for evil purposes. Also, tragically, people do not understand him. It makes you think: why do people, like the burglars, exploit a boy's innocence for their own ends? Why do others, like the Inviolata survivors, assume the worst in him rather than seeing him for what he is? And in this world, how far can you get without trampling on anyone else? Lazzaro, after all, ends up being beaten up. "Happy as Lazzaro's" answers to its own questions aren't very optimistic.
The film touches on other things, such as the clash between the rural and the urban. The change doesn't benefit the workers, who now live in poverty in a dirty landscape in which they resort to criminal methods to stay alive. Is this really an improvement over the sharecropping setup? Meanwhile the heads of the estate continue to exploit others, auctioning jobs to migrants. Lazzaro is caught up in this but doesn't really understand what is going on. The whole thing a damning watch and one that would be very depressing if not for the heartfelt, tender touch that graces its entire length.
There is allegory in this tale, which at times takes turns that are bizarre and unexpected. Lazzaro is unique, a glimmer of hope in a world full of evil, with an innocent, youthful face that clearly marks him out from everyone else. The key to understanding them is understanding Lazzaro's role. He is described as a saint, but he is also so innocent that he does not understand that humans can be evil. They are able to exploit his lack of awareness for evil purposes. Also, tragically, people do not understand him. It makes you think: why do people, like the burglars, exploit a boy's innocence for their own ends? Why do others, like the Inviolata survivors, assume the worst in him rather than seeing him for what he is? And in this world, how far can you get without trampling on anyone else? Lazzaro, after all, ends up being beaten up. "Happy as Lazzaro's" answers to its own questions aren't very optimistic.
The film touches on other things, such as the clash between the rural and the urban. The change doesn't benefit the workers, who now live in poverty in a dirty landscape in which they resort to criminal methods to stay alive. Is this really an improvement over the sharecropping setup? Meanwhile the heads of the estate continue to exploit others, auctioning jobs to migrants. Lazzaro is caught up in this but doesn't really understand what is going on. The whole thing a damning watch and one that would be very depressing if not for the heartfelt, tender touch that graces its entire length.