Intense psychodrama in this Italian film about a woman who recall her past abuse by a pedophilia father. I first saw the beautiful Giovanna Mezzogiorno in "Love in the Time of Cholera" where she was excellent so I decided to see this film because of that.

Cristina Comencini is the daughter of legendary Italian director Luigi Comencini, one of the makers of the Italian comedy from the Fifties to the Seventies. Cristina is an established director as well -she's also an appreciated writer. Her films are very different from the features of her father -either they're more dramatical or contain a less hilarious comedy. "La bestia nel cuore" means "The beast in the heart" in English. The film is based on a book written by Cristina Comencini herself.

The central story is an interesting one, but it drags and there's too much plot filler that leads no where and has no devine right to be in there to be honest.

When this movie didn't veer away with tedious subplots involving lesbians, it was actually bearable. Interesting if not particularly brilliantly handled subject matter. However, it easily could have ended a good thirty mins sooner, with the final act dragging out to a tedious conclusion. There are elements of pretension, but that is to be expected with a film like this. Could have been worse, and doesn't particularly paint men in a positive light, but meh. This breed of Italian wank is like that really.

This Italian movie, La Bestia Nel Cuore was also an Oscar nominated movie in 2005. It was based on her own novel "The Beast in the heart," director Cristina Comencini showed with this movie an issue of family secrets. Through Sabina, played by beautifully Giovanna Mezzogiorno, anxieties, nightmares, and through her brother Daniele's flashbacks of his childhood , to what their parents did to them, we could feel the painful memories.There were some subplots, like the infidelity of Franco while Sabina was away, a lesbian relationship that developed between Emilia and Maria which was not really necessary, along the main story of incest, it could only make it distracting.The message brought over from this movie was no matter how low you might have reached in your life,or how damaged you feel, there will always be a chance to renew and silence the demons from the past.

Looks pretty, but goes nowhere. The 'dark secret' is too obvious and overused.

A mysterious nightmare that triggers realization of a dark repressed childhood memory... along the backdrop of a loving husband and regularly caring for a blind childhood BFF who has her own repressed thoughts. I shan't spoil this excellent movie any more for you: go watch it!

What we sometimes shut off can resurface in our subconscious and awaken a string of emotions that run deep into our psyche. A film that handles these "nightmares" in a very sensitive manner. Well done!

This Italian movie, La Bestia Nel Cuore was also an Oscar nominated movie in 2005. It was based on her own novel "The Beast in the heart," director Cristina Comencini showed with this movie an issue of family secrets. Through Sabina, played by beautifully Giovanna Mezzogiorno, anxieties, nightmares, and through her brother Daniele's flashbacks of his childhood , to what their parents did to them, we could feel the painful memories.There were some subplots, like the infidelity of Franco while Sabina was away, a lesbian relationship that developed between Emilia and Maria which was not really necessary, along the main story of incest, it could only make it distracting.The message brought over from this movie was no matter how low you might have reached in your life,or how damaged you feel, there will always be a chance to renew and silence the demons from the past.

A touching coming-to-terms story.

I liked a lot. The history was a surprise, sad, but interesting movie with great performances.

krass, pesante... aber gut!

Script demasiado lineal. Contenido altamente perturbante.

the same old theme of child abuse is not given a fresh perspective to it, the result is a mediocre narrative.

Bad screenplay, bad actors. Lo Cascio plays the same old role, Mezzogiorno gets hysteric every fifth minute, Rocca is not naked, Boni is (as he's got nothing else to offer). Finocchiaro is the best, and this tells it all. Americans look stereotipically dull. Comencini is not her father (definitely).

No se entienden bien las ideas y uno no se identifica con la pelicula. Podria tener una mejor trama.

Great movie that explores demons of the past, and how people deal with them. Thought provoking.

Has strong performances, but the story takes too long to get off the ground. And once it does, it is told in a way that occasionally drags and goes off in meandering directions.

Reach exceeds grasp in this rather dull and soap operatic like film. The performances are stiff even when you can tell how powerful the scene is supposed to be and many of the relationships seem all too forced. Very offbeat and unusual, yet far from engaging.

buen color y uso de emociones buena pelicula