Popular reviews

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  Review by Piroxi ★★★★½

  Todos los niños que aparecen en esta película eran nuevos en el mundo de la actuación, con problemas sociales parecidos a los personajes que interpretan, por esto mismo es que la química entre todos se vio tan natural, y además se desenvolvieron excelentemente bien.

  "El Limpiabotas" pertenece al movimiento del Neorrealismo Italiano, y es una de las tantas joyas que tiene en su repertorio Vittorio De Sica. Esta es una historia directa, cruda, desde la mirada inocente de dos niños que viven en la orfandad tratando de juntar dinero para poder comprarse un caballo blanco, ese es su sueño, durante esto la cámara ira mostrando las calles de una Italia en posguerra, y la falta de amor, apoyo y compresión…

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  Review by Ethan Lyon ★★★★½

  1st Vittorio de Sica

  I find the philosophical tenets behind Neo-Realism fundamentally flawed. The concept of an objective truth in cinema is an impossibility that should be avoided as much as possible in my eyes, and attempts to suggest you've achieved it have often been morally tainted by their own self-importance and melodrama; I think Rome Open City is quite guilty of this. But even with that in mind, I can't help but be incredibly moved by Shoeshine and the unsparing way it tracks the disintegration of two kid's friendship by the hard life of the borstal. Films about children are often very hit or miss for me, mainly because the characters are either saccharine or unbelievably annoying- the little…

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  Review by Collin Taylor ★★★★½

  This can be added to the new list, "Vittorio De Sica films that make me depressed as hell." This is an extremely powerful film. The performances, especially from the two main leads, are almost unreal to be totally honest. They never starred in a single film before this, but they give performances as if they've been doing this for years. It blows my damn mind. The film is also beautifully directed and shot to perfection. Italian Neo-Realism is one of my favorite Era's of film because of movies like Shoeshine. This is an unbelievably tragic, realistic tale of consequences. The ending is just so heartbreaking to watch. It's a perfectly plotted film, every character feels written to match their personality. There's…

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  Review by theriverjordan ★★★★★ 5

  “Shoeshine” is the cinematic counterpart of a true good deed; a moment of pure morality, while the eye and judgement of the world look away. 

  Vittorio de Sica directed “Shoeshine,” but his work is equivalent to the brushstrokes in a Rembrandt. It all but disappears into a masterpiece. 

  “Shoeshine” is the lifeblood of what would become Rossellini’s “Germany, Year Zero” and, a decade later, Truffaut’s “400 Blows.” It follows two young brothers sentenced to juvenile prison. They pair stole some blankets, but the crime is nearly unmentioned in their trial; they are sentenced by old men for the sins of possessing youth and liberty. 

  The acting by the cast of boys is possibly the best I’m film, outside of Léaud…

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  Review by FoundOnYouTube ★★★★★

  10/10

  Shoutout to @brucejamesgrant for the request.

  Damn, I love Italian neorealism. Vittorio de Sica is more known for Bicycle Thieves and Umberto D, but Shoeshine is another gem of his. Shoeshine contains some of the best child acting I've seen in film, especially from the two leads, Franco Interlenghi and Rinaldo Smordoni.

  In the beginning, Giuseppe and Pasquale are young and naïve. Despite living in extreme poverty, the both of them seem to have a positive outlook on life. When Giuseppe's older brother tricks them into committing a crime, Giuseppe and Pasquale are whisked away to kiddo jail. In the jail, the childlike innocence of the kids is tested by the oppressive nature of their environment. Their friendship even…

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  Review by Daniil333 ★★★★½ 2

  Once again does Vittorio De Sica break my heart.

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  Review by VonBergundy ★★★★ 6

  Perfectly told and directed early neorealist story of poverty, prison conditions, and a really good horse. The type of film that makes you pretty okay with your current life. The classic Italian recipe of depression, rage, and emptiness.

  Beyond the obvious visceral reaction to seeing children forced into fending for themselves and being continually punished for it- I got that the film saw the Italian government as maliciously wanting to kill the youthful hope and open-mindedness in children which could end up threatening their power.

  ×Film School Dropouts Challenge - Week 8: Writer - Cesare Zavattini
  ×Favorite Performances - Franco Interlenghi as Pasquale

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  Review by J ★★★★½

  Terribly depressing glimpses of post-war Allied-occupied Italy belie within “Shoeshine”, a story of two shoeshine boys, Pasquele and Guiseppe, caught in the sordid underbelly of black markets and juvenile detention centres. In a country reeling from the ramifications of a fallen fascist regime, abject poverty is aggravated by displacement of relationships and principles. Kids loiter the streets instead of the playgrounds and classrooms, in search of the next shoes to polish and brush, in need of additional coins to pocket. Flats show dire conditions as several working-class families live in tiny and shoddy box-type rooms. But simple childhood dreams persist amidst hardships. Pasquele and Guiseppe’s want to own a horse gives “Shoeshine” its friable jovial and carefree tone at first.…

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  Review by PUNQ ★★★★ 4

  Gripping story of drifting Rome kids and how the system handles them. Powerful as to the fear they face when put behind bars, and how it manipulates and changes them, ultimately leading to disaster. Director Vittorio De Sica had already experimented with kids stories in I bambini ci guardano [The Children are Watching Us] (1944) to great success, but here elevates it to another level. He had really matured as a director during the war and here we see the fruits shaped during of those troubled years.

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  Review by russman ★★★★½

  She needs to brush up on her Tarot Card reading skills if she didn't see that coming

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  Review by syifa ★★★★★

  "listen, chief. you can kill us, but we can't tell you what we don't know."

  a beautifully filmed tragedy. two young boys live a life of poverty and neglect, but their lives changed forever when they were arrested after being drawn into the sale of stolen goods so they were sent to the juvenile. the brutality, the lack of care, the injustices they face from those around them, from family to officialdom, are shown very effectively. it's a slow burn which eventually reaches a breaking point that pits the two old friends against one another, building to a wonderfully tragic climax.

  despite everything, it has some funny and heartfelt scenes. it shows us that those "bad" boys in juvenile have…

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  Review by Buzz ★★★★ 2

  Such an unfortunate kids. They must living in an authoritarian adult world with those soft-hearted souls. Boys, I will buy you a unicorn, next time.