The Monster 1996
The Monster ★★½ Il Monstro; Le Monstre 1996 (R)
Italian impresario of comedy Benigni co-wrote, directed and starred in this film that has become the highest grossing film in Italian history to date. Jaded American audiences, however, may find the broad comedy of errors all too familiar territory with Loris (Benigni) as a criminal Clouseau, an incompetent petty thief whom police mistake for a serial murderer on the loose. Cops install an attractive female detective (Braschi, Benigni's wife) in the sexually strained shyster's apartment to tempt him into striking again. Sight gags aplenty populate Benigni's highly physical performance, including: being pulled wildly around a garage attached to an out-of-control chainsaw; contending with a lit cigarette down his pants; and scores of pratfalls, all of which garner comparisons to comedy phenom, Jim Carrey. French director and actor Blanc (“Dead Tired”) is great as the loony police psychiatrist. 110m/C VHS, DVD . IT Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Michel Blanc, Dominque Lavanant, Jean-Claude Brialy, Ivano Marescotti, Laurent Spielvogel, Massimo Girotti, Franco Mescolini; D: Roberto Benigni; W: Roberto Benigni, Vincenzo Cerami; C: Carlo Di Palma; M: Evan Lurie.