This heady complexity of images that hurtle past the willing view allowing for a complex immersion in another time and place is not a conventional story. In reflection following the film, the viewer might be surprised to discover most of the conventional bases in most films have been covered--from the birth of a child to the tragic death of a father, from a young man committed mainly committed to the pleasures of the flesh to one pledged to the betterment of his fellow citizens, many human threads tie together to piece a vibrant canvas of humanity derived from a close examination of a small Sicilian village that grows into a city perhaps too large for itself. I would watch this film merely to immerse myself in the profusion of lush images that constantly unfold, some of them initially confusing, some of them dreamlike, and all of them ultimately adding up to a true cinematic experience that can only be had at the movies.

If you want a tidy movie that doesn't challenge your expectations, that consistently follows a narrative thread and offers a snappy finale, this ain't it--Director Tornatore has provided an immersion in human life with all its conflict and confusion, its tragedies and humanity.