The Monster

Roberto Benigni's comedy, built on a misunderstanding. There is a serial killer in the city. The police are searching on the strength of a single profile. Loris lives off small swindles, does not pay his rent and takes goods from shops without paying. Through a series of coincidences the police become convinced he is the killer. To gather evidence, a policewoman, Jessica, is placed in his flat. What follows consists entirely of misreadings: even Loris's most innocent movements are interpreted by her as preparation for murder, and the audience knows both sides. The comedy is physical: Benigni leans on the silent tradition and long passages run without dialogue. Benigni directs and plays Loris. Nicoletta Braschi plays Jessica; she is married to him and appears in many of his films. Michel Blanc plays the psychiatrist. The film reached one of the highest box office figures in Italy at the time. One of Benigni's most-watched works for anyone who likes Italian comedy and physical humour. For a viewer expecting subtlety, the film rests on exaggeration and most of the jokes are built on repetition.