Load of rubbish!!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

"Anita B" tells a tale not often told, exploring the emotional challenges of readjusting to "normal" life. The cinematography is picturesque and strangely entrancing, and gives off the impression of a moving piece of artwork. Eline Powell (Anita) is extremely convincing, honest and powerful at every turn, and tells Anita's story with remarkable drive. One of the most effective attributes of the film, however, is the likability of EVERY character. Just as in real life, there is no true villain. Each character is complex and has a point of view, leaving "Anita B" to linger in one's mind long after the viewing is over.

In the film, Anita is taken to live with her Aunt Monica and her family in Czechoslovakia where she spends her days trapped inside taking care of their son Robbie and telling him of her time in Auschwitz because no one else will listen. She soon falls in love with Eli and becomes pregnant, but when he pressures her to abort the child, she escapes to Jerusalem to start a new life for herself.The beauty of Anita B. derives from the remarkable detail brought to a simple and truthful storyline through incredible acting. Though most of the film simply shows Anita working through her daily routine, her emotions are worn for everyone to see and make her an extremely sympathetic character. Powell beautifully portrays the innocence of a young woman confused by her station in life and longing for some affection and security. Her superb acting is accompanied by that of Sheehan, who plays Eli. Throughout the story, it is difficult to make a decision about his character. At times he is lovable and sweet to Anita and in others he is so vile that it is impossible to understand how she could love him. One of the most heart wrenching moments in the film is when he tells Anita that the last thing he wants is to bring a child into that world. This complex moment truly shows the three dimensionality of his character. The death of his fiancée has destroyed his faith in the world and he cannot fathom knowingly bringing a child into the harsh society in which he is forced to live. The film is also incredibly well written and executed cinematically. The story clearly demonstrates that everyone at that time was effected by the Holocaust in some way or another and that there was no good way to deal with the aftermath of all that pain. Anita takes comfort in describing her experiences to Robbie as a sort of therapy, but Monica plagued with the guilt of a survivor, refuses to acknowledge that anything had even happened. She copes by blocking out the past instead of remembering and learning from it. Then there is David, Anita's confidante who follows the path of many young Jewish people at the time and decides to escape the death of his parents by going to Jerusalem, and of course Eli who has taken to pessimism and women in order to numb the pain of it all. Each character is faced with the challenge of trying to move on and the difficulty of that task is executed masterfully throughout the film. The film also transports the viewer into this time period through cinematic choices made to give it the look of a much older film. The sepia quality used not only ages the movie, but also creates an essence of darkness and despair that suits the time period.

The film Anita B by Roberto Faenza is a heartwarming, dramatic masterpiece. Shortly after World War II, a young Hungarian woman named Anita leaves the concentration camp where she spent the war. Anita moves in with her aunt Monica, a woman hardened by survivor's guilt, Monica's husband, their son, and Eli, Monica's brother-in-law. While Anita tries hard to remember her past, Monica fights to forget. Anita finds solace in her friendship with Eli, which quickly escalates into an unhealthy relationship. Anita's time in Czechoslovakia is marked by heartache and growth. As Anita finds her identity, we see her confidence soar. Despite the obstacles, Anita fights for what she knows is right and refuses to ever back down.Anita B closely follows Anita's life after her time in Auschwitz. Within the first few minutes of the film, we see the look of despair on the young girl's face, despite her freedom from the concentration camp. We quickly understand that she is orphaned and, much like we will see with her aunt later, experiencing survivor's guilt. Faenza's ability to convey so much in such a small amount of time only begins to show his capacity as a director. Anita's desire to remember the events of her life set up initial conflict between her and her aunt. Monica knew the horrors of the camps, yet ignored them in an effort to suppress her true feelings about recent events.Anita turns to her friendship with Eli in an effort to find an ally. Eli provides Anita with guidance and acts as a buffer between Anita and Monica by defending and protecting her. Eli's feelings toward Anita, however, appear to grow into romantic attraction and his lack of subtlety is evident to viewers. Initially hesitant, Anita feigns sleep and laughs off his advances. While her attraction is noticeable, her insecurities dominate her mind and prevent her from moving forward. Eli is a complex character, and his previous dedication to his fiancé shows that he is capable of the kind of love Anita craves. Despite this capacity, we see Eli turn into a complacent lover. Eli is fully aware of Anita's love for him, yet acts selfishly and emotionally distant. We understand that Eli's past had a profound impact on his character, yet it is hard not to get frustrated by his actions.Anita's story is told against the beautiful background of Czechoslovakia after World War II. We see pride and shame from Jewish characters, the fear of being associated with the Nazis, and the overall degradation of certain groups. Despite living in these conditions, the undertones of strength are evident. Faenza portrays a people not broken, but reevaluating what it means to be Jewish. The hardships portrayed in the film really resonate with the audience and make deep, personal connections with viewers. This beautiful film is surely going to be a hit, and the story is so powerful that it should be retold. It is important not to ignore or forget, but to remember.

Anita B. is a film based on the true story Quanta stella c'è nel cielo by Edith Bruck about a young Holocaust survivor's life just following the end of World War II. The protagonist, Anita, goes to live with her Aunt Monika, Monika's husband, Aron, their son, and Aron's brother, Eli, after she is freed from Auschwitz. She is quickly thrust into a passionate love affair with Eli, which quickly turns unpredictable, unreliable, and unhealthy. Once she gets her papers, she is desperate to find and make connections with the people in her life- coworkers, family, neighbors. She slowly begins realizing that Eli is not the man with whom she fell in love, and must make difficult and life-changing decisions. Anita is constantly faced with adversity in almost every arena of her life, and emerges with strength and optimism toward her future in this story of survival and triumph.Anita B. is a gorgeous, thought-provoking, intense, and truly extraordinary film. It embodies many of the difficulties faced by Holocaust survivors after World War II, a theme not many films have addressed. The cinematography, costuming, and scenery were all beautiful, making the film an absolute treat to watch. The acting, particularly of Eline Powell (Anita) and Robert Sheehan (Eli), was convincing, honest, and carefully thought-out. The characters were extremely complex, and the character of Eli specifically stood out to me as intriguing and multi-faceted. The film portrays Eli in all of his varying states and constantly presents him as a complex character. Sheehan was cast perfectly as Eli, and was able to embody everything that the character represented in the film. From the beginning, he is portrayed as funny, sweet, and caring. He charms both Anita and the audience, but the pain he carries deep within him slowly starts to show, subtly at first and then more obviously as the film progresses. You fall in love with him as Anita does, and then you start questioning his integrity when you see how he sometimes treats her, until you realize what he's going through and how he suppresses his agonizing emotions. You then begin feeling sorry for him because neither you nor Anita can fully blame him for his actions; as she says to him toward the end of the film, "it's not your fault, it's just the way you are." In this sense especially, the film encourages us to identify with Anita and allows us to feel what she feels in any given moment. Eli could easily have been made out to be the "villain" of the story, but we are shown that he is extremely complex and might not be as bad of a guy as one may think. I love that the story does not have a true villain, and that it focuses on Anita and her journey to find a home and herself in this new world of hers. The film leaves you feeling optimistic and proud of Anita for finally being truly freed.