Caro Diario (1993)

CARO DIARIO is a relaxing and amusing, feel-good movie by award-winning Italian filmmaker Nanni Moretti. As narrator and main character, Moretti uses his diary to conduct a satirical tour of Italy, sharing his offbeat views of different aspects of Italian culture. In the first of three segments, Moretti laments the deterioration of society and the arts in Italy, lampooning yuppies, pseudo-intellectuals and avant-garde film producers and critics. The second segment is a picturesque travelogue interspersed with Moretti’s unique encounters and dry social commentary. The third, serious yet absurd, follows Moretti during a real-life medical crisis in which he is over-treated and misdiagnosed by several doctors.

CARO DIARIO is a delightful work of art. Lighthearted and amusing, it contains few questionable elements to diminish its charm. The three vulgarities and the one scene of violence, however, may be cause for some discernment. The film carries a simple message: the pace of modern society is too frantic. People take themselves too seriously. We all need to rest once in a while and enjoy life. Although Moretti does not mention God, spirituality or religion, his message speaks to Christians harried by the frenzied pace of the electronic age: take time to appreciate the simple things in life that are part of God’s creation.