I vitelloni 1953

Critics score:
100 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: One of the screen's great portrayals of the hell-raising and malaise of young men in their 20s. Read more

A.O. Scott, New York Times: It shows all of Fellini's unrivaled virtues -- his lyrical sense of place, his abiding affection for even the most hapless of his characters, his effortless knack for limpid, bustling composition -- and very few of his putative vices. Read more

Don Druker, Chicago Reader: Though still realist in approach, its aura of bitter nostalgia places it squarely among Fellini's most personal and atmospheric works. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Offers us the rare chance to witness a filmmaker becoming a master filmmaker, as well as the birth of an important relationship with composer Nino Rota. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: It was this ineffably poignant semiautobiographical reverie that unleashed fully Fellini's shimmering, flowing poetic style. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: What stays fresh (and enhanced by the beautifully restored black- and-white print) is how so many of Fellini's gifts and obsessions are already apparent in this early work. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: It's my favorite Fellini film, possibly his most personal effort and by far his funniest. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: A must-see for Fellini enthusiasts and a worthwhile investment for everyone else. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: If you have warm memories of American Graffiti, Diner, Mean Streets or even TV's Seinfeld, you owe it to yourself to see the masterpiece that inspired them all. Read more

Time Out: Read more

Variety: Read more

Variety: Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: Moving from cafes to poolrooms to movie theaters, it's the prototypical male ensemble film. Read more