A timeless farmhand wanders into the modern world, exposing the rot of human progress.
In short: In Alice Rohrwacher’s 2018 magical realist drama, a guileless peasant named Lazzaro survives a miraculous fall, only to re-emerge in a modern Italy that has left his community behind. It is a haunting, fable-like exploration of exploitation, the illusion of freedom, and the persistent, quiet power of human goodness.
Set in the isolated tobacco estate of L'Inviolata during the 1980s or 1990s, the film follows a group of sharecroppers trapped in perpetual debt to the Marchioness Alfonsina De Luna. Lazzaro, a simple and diligent farmhand, becomes the unlikely companion of the Marchioness's rebellious son, Tancredi. Their bond triggers a chain of events that exposes the community to the outside world, revealing that they have been living in ignorance of the abolition of sharecropping and their own fundamental rights.
The narrative takes a surreal turn when Lazzaro, presumed dead after a fall, awakens years later without having aged. He finds his former community struggling to survive in the city, reduced to petty scams and homelessness. While the film functions as a critique of the false promises of modern progress, it also probes the deep rift between agrarian traditions and urban reality. As Erika Balsom noted for the British Film Institute, the film serves as a devastating exploration of the elusive possibility of collective happiness.
Director Alice Rohrwacher positions this film as the second installment in a trilogy, following 2014's The Wonders and preceding 2023's La Chimera. The film received significant critical acclaim, including the Best Screenplay award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. Critics have praised its thematic depth, with director Bong Joon-ho highlighting its dazzling narrative twists and technical mastery. Ultimately, the story of Lazzaro—a man whose inherent goodness is met with violence in a cynical world—remains a poignant meditation on what it means to be truly happy.
The film's reception was overwhelmingly positive, with major review aggregators reflecting its status as a critical success. Whether through its supernatural elements or its grounded portrayal of social displacement, the film challenges viewers to consider the cost of the systems we inhabit. By the time Lazzaro faces the harsh reality of a bank, the film has transformed from a pastoral fable into a sharp, melancholic commentary on the structures of power and the fragility of the human spirit.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Happy as Lazzaro
- Also: Wikidata — Happy as Lazzaro · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/entertainment-happy-as-lazzaro.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Films · More in Entertainment · Latest · A–Z · All topics
