It's plotted in the form of an epic poem, each stanza dedicated to a member of the group.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
The New York Times by Dana Stevens
Neither the neighborhood intimacy of "Mean Streets" nor the grandeur of the "Godfather" movies is imaginable without Visconti's example. Its richness, though, is inexhaustible, and well served by the spotless new 35-millimeter print being shown at Film Forum.
Christian Science Monitor by David Sterritt
From its star-studded cast to its indelible camerawork by the legendary Giuseppe Rotunno, it's an unforgettable experience by a revered master of European cinema.
Village Voice by Michael Atkinson
Visconti's film remains a Euro-culture touchstone, though not nearly as convincing or visually stunning as its reputation insists.
After “Rocco,” Visconti’s style lost the vestiges of naturalism and indulged in rococo artifice and aristocratic splendor.
Visconti takes the 60s film epic into another realm by making the intimate complexities of a family just that: epic. Although the emotional weight can be hard to carry for three hours (and Visconti's melodrama at times difficult to stomach), this story of migration and a family's drive to survive above all else is gripping and impactful.