Look. If you're not Italian, or at least you don't speak Italian and you see a translated version, probably you won't get it. I don't know how the various pranks like the "supercazzola" have been translated and how they sound like. Here they sound like pure genius. I know a lot of people, scattered through the nation, that just WORSHIP this film, probably thanks to the fact that this movie is quite an underdog, neither a mainstream film, nor an artistically praised "commedia all'italiana". But who cares about artistical merits. The characters and the situations are so lively like is rarely seen. The film is an humble tale about life, women, friendship and death, with five men using their wits to avoid the tragedies of their lives. It's a lesson about taking life with a light heart, even if things are terribly grim. I think that the final laugh means it's all about that.PS Excuse me for the bad English. I'm Italian and i'm supposed to do a lot of errors!

"Amici miei" should be the final movie of Pietro Germi, one of the masters of the Italian comedy. He wrote the script but was unable to direct it because of his illness (he died in 1974, one year before the release of the picture). So the film went to director Mario Monicelli -another excellent "father" of the Italian comedy-, who did a very good job.A group of 45-50 years old Tuscan men escape the fear of death and the fear of the old age in doing jokes and living as if they were kids. The story is very simple and the film is a chain of several gags -but this is a bittersweet comedy, there are also dramatical moments. The film is very politically incorrect but funny and intelligent.The group of actors is harmonious (Noiret, Tognazzi, Celi, Del Prete, Moschin) and Mario Monicelli is at ease with this story.Nevertheless I think "Amici miei" is a little overrated. Even if it is intended so in the script, the characters aren't nice people at all -their jokes sometimes are so heavy and so ferocious that they result hardly funny... These people are very cynical and egoist. I know this film didn't want to be moving in showing middle-age crisis, but I think characters could have been a little bit softer.Apart from that, this is one of the last great comedies of the Italian cinema and is always worth watching it.

This is a terrific film and probably one of the sweetest, funniest comedies ever made. The fearsome foursome never miss an opportunity to make a total mess of established society, all in the name of a good time. Nothing is sacred and anyone can become an instant, impromptu victim or their pranks. The scene at the train station is by far my favourite, and just the thought of the old guys lining up to slap people straight in the face makes me want to laugh out loud. See this film wherever you can, it's heartwarming and hilarious.If only it were more accessible so that younger generations could enjoy this!

Italian comedy has never been as pure and simple as in Amici Miei. Many Italian comedic actors have taken inspiration from this gem. Unfortunately, this movie is not available to the greater audiences in the US. I saw this movie when it was released and many times after that. Grazie, Mario!