Slightly charming but this is typical Miramax awards bait.

This film was charming 👍🏼

An engaging, small foreign film.

photography on this is beautiful and the story very well told

I thought this was a lovely, charming film. It has some nice scenery and delightful characters. I enjoyed the explanations of metaphors and poetry, how they can be used to help express feelings and the like. Its got a bit of a slow plot I suppose but its not all about the plot - the setting and philosophical angles are very nice. I particularly like the titular character, the postman Mario Ruoppolo - a quite shy and reserved, yet curious person who slowly becomes more and more interested in the poets life and understanding of his profession as a writer. I also liked that there is a subtle social political side to it as well, in terms of the reactions by older generations to what happens - it gives the film, whats explained, a deeper meaning I feel somehow. I won't elaborate so as not to provide any unnecessary spoilers. I thought it didn't seem too 'up itself' and I very much enjoyed watching it, so I'd recommend it to others.

The Postman is a good indication of the shift in dramatic film in recent years, where 'impactful' storylines need to be accompanied by sweeping scores and emotional crescendos; this film co-written by and starring Massimo Troisi is small in scope and incremental in its progression, chronicling the personal exploration of expression by Troisi's Mario in a down-to-earth way, coinciding with the development of relationships that are both romantic and friendly. The stakes are never particularly high, but the ultimate reflection on Mario's character development is plenty rewarding if a bit sanitized and sentimental. Led largely by Troisi's subdued and sweet performance, The Postman is not excessive but upon reflection may surprise you with the evolution of its protagonist's inner voice. (3/5)

Il Postino, despite being marketed as romance, is more a film about friendship. Mario (Massimo Troisi, who sadly passed away after the film was completed) is a childlike, impressionable young man who has been hired to deliver mail to Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (Philippe Noiret), exiled from Chile and residing on a small Italian island. Mario and Pablo develop a friendship as time passes, Pablo eventually serving as a mentor and inspiration in Mario's pursuit of a local barmaid. It's tender and touching, infused with a gentle humor thanks to an insightful script and subdued performances. Add some beautiful scenery to the mix and Il Postino is a winner from start to finish.

The movie is really sweet and enchanted and actors' performance is outstanding. The rythm is intentionally slow, to guide the viewer into the life on the island, where nothing ever happens and nothing ever change.

The DVD promoted this movie as a funny romantic comedy; what I saw of the movie was not that at all. It starts off with a fisherman's son on a small island near Italy receiving a letter from his relatives who have emigrated to the United States, while the son complains to his father about how being on a boat causes him health problems. Then he attends a theater with a newsreel where Neruta, an exiled Chilean communist poet is sent to this same island. (The movie fails to say, but it presumably takes place in the 1950's.) The son gets a job as a postman, whose boss is a political sympathizer of Neruta, and the son ends up delivering most of his mail to this poet. His interest in the poet is not political, but in his way of winning female admirers. We didn't finish the movie; it was too slow-moving and took forever to get to the point. There were a few dry laughs, but mostly it was draggy with a lot of nothing happening. Maybe the movie worked better in Italy.

This film is so beautiful, love, Neruda and Italian village.

Il Postino is a sweet little film about a man who becomes enamored with a woman, poetry, and Pablo Neruda (but not necessarily in that order.) I liked the picturesque look of this film, as it celebrates some of the more scenic areas of Italy. I found the entire movie to be as calming and pleasant to watch as the waves crashing against the rocks, which inspire our main character’s poetry. Massimo Troisi did a wonderful job of building up this character throughout the film. He has the innocence of a child, but the heart and passion of a man. I also loved Philippe Noiret who plays the famous poet/politician. Without knowing too much about his real-life history in Chile, I was able to approach this character similar to the way the protagonist meets him, without any major preconceptions. I was also delighted by the poetry that is recited in the film, and I’m typically not a huge fan of poetry. There isn’t a lot going on in Il Postino, so I was worried that it could get boring. However, I managed to maintain investment in the journey of Mario Ruoppolo, despite the fact that the pacing of the film was quite measured. His struggle to accept that Neruda might not be as committed to their friendship was endearing. I’ve had friendships in the past where I wondered if I was giving more than receiving, and if that person might not care as much for me, so I could relate to the story. I wasn’t all that satisfied with the ending, though. In a way it felt like I was cheated out of the conclusion I had been anticipating. Of course, the movie-makers owe me nothing, but it left me wanting something more. Aside from the ending and the relaxed pace of the film, I enjoyed watching Il Postino, and I can see how it would charm its way onto an Oscar Best Picture ballot.

The performances were good but I found the film boring.

This movie was a little slow but the beautiful European scenery and tight story kept me interested. I didn't know what to make of the movie through the majority of it because it didn't seem like there was going to be any payoff, but the ending with the death of the postman really was a little shocking. The cinematography and pacing reminded me of Call Me By Your Name in 2017. It was a nice little story, I'll have to look more into Pablo Neruda!

Best foreign film of all time. Funny, heartfelt and endearing. Beautifully shot amid captivating landscapes. Should be on anyone's must see list.

Loved this romantic comedy, with Pablo Neruda as the centerpiece.

The history of foreign films in the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards has been largely disappointing as the sentimental favorites tend to get recognized over the legitimate masterpieces. Should a film like Babel (2006) really be nominated when After the Wedding (2006) and The Lives of Others (2006) exist? Probably not but worse films than this sweet little Italian production, forget that Harvey Weinstein was involved in it's campaign, have been nominated for the big prize. I will admit that I was taken in by the sweetness of the story and the naturalistic performances as it is pleasant to see a film in which the ambitions of the characters are grounded in normal, everyday life. Illiterate postman Mario Ruoppolo, Massimo Troisi, is dissatisfied with his life as he is uneducated and on the small Italian island he lives on they receive very little clean water and the government does not take care of them. His life changes when Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Philippe Noiret, moves to their island after he has been exiled from his country for his Communist sympathies. Ruoppolo delivers mail to Neruda and befriends him over time as he discovers that he has a passion for poetry and the desire to learn. When he meets and falls in love with Beatrice Russo, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, he uses the poetry of his friend to romance her and despite the opposition of her religious aunt the two are eventually married. Ruoppolo is dismayed when Neruda announces he will return to Chile. Over time Ruoppolo feels forgotten by his friend but when asked to return Neruda's belongings to him he decides to record sounds from their small town so that his friend can hear them. Years later Neruda inquires about the wellbeing of his friend and finds out that he was killed because of his involvement with the Communist party but left behind his recordings and had a child with Russo. Much of the enjoyment derived from this film comes out of the simplicity of the writing and characters. Even though the film deals with poetry, often conveyed as complicated and intellectual, we never feel isolated from either Neruda, the celebrated and talented poet, or Ruoppolo, the uneducated novice. We delight in seeing Neruda's passion reawakened and Ruoppolo discovering his own potential as he finally has somewhere to direct his passion. The film allows the audience to get to know these characters as Ruoppolo forces himself into the life of a man with more talent than anybody he has ever known and Neruda is captured by the fervent desire of this young man. The romance is equally tender as while Russo is presented more as an object of desire than a fully rounded character our protagonist's pursuit of her is amusing and the innocence of their flirtation is pleasing in the era of the erotic thriller. Radford was smart not to make Ruoppolo more than the average man and his treatment of the characters as normal people with basic desires is honest and endearing. Troisi, who famously died shortly after this film was completed, is very realistic as the lead with his character's shyness and earnest appreciation of Neruda come across nicely. He has a completely open face in a way that very few actors do as they often seem to practiced and mannered to be convincing as regular, innocent people. Noiret brings gravitas to the role of Neruda as he is a stately but gentle figure whose love for his wife and craft shine through easily as he and the far more eager and expressive Troisi interact. Even Anna Bonaiuto gets a nice comedic role and the entire ensemble add color and texture the small Italian island in the way that more strained performances wouldn't have. The politics in the film may be disagreeable to some as there is a quiet Communist undercurrent running throughout the film but it's never too aggressive to overshadow the real heart of the story and for more politically conservative viewers it is unlikely to isolate them. Radford ensures that this is more of a quiet character study than a film about political uprisings or the responsibilities of an artist. At just 108 minutes this is a brief film that keeps you absorbed throughout.

my favourite movie of all time - since 1995!

Una poesia italiana: to watch!

beautiful film, it really has that art is film appeal, as well as a passionste

Tra i film italiani più profondi, belli e poetici che io abbia visto finora, un piccolo gioiello che eleva il lavoro artistico di Massimo Troisi a livelli che in pochi riescono a raggiungere. Il suo personaggio è semplicemente incredibile: caratterizzato alla perfezione riesce ad emozionarci e coinvolgerci in tutte le scene in cui è presente, con un lavoro sulla recitazione davvero fuori dal comune. Il film in generale è scritto con un tocco genuino e realistico, che emoziona grazie alla semplicità poetica che viene mostrata da tutti gli attori. Nel complesso è un'esperienza poetica delicata e toccante, un film che merita di essere ricordato come uno dei migliori italiani degli ultimi decenni.