Fantozzi Retires: Existential Dread Wrapped in Sardonic Italian Humor!

Okay, so I finally got around to watching "Fantozzi Retires" (Fantozzi va in pensione) and, wow, it's... a LOT. I think it's brilliant, in that bleakly funny Italian way. It's not exactly laugh-out-loud hilarious all the time, more like a slow creeping dread mixed with moments of pure, absurd comedy. It kind of reminded me of some early Fellini stuff, but way more grounded in the everyday struggles of the working class. Poor Fantozzi! You spend thirty years being ground down by corporate life, and then retirement hits and you're just… completely lost. The scene where he's trying to help Pina with the grocery shopping and ends up causing complete chaos is painfully relatable. I think we've all been there, feeling utterly incompetent trying to navigate something simple. And the babysitting! Oh man, that poor granddaughter. The way Fantozzi just completely fails to connect with her, resorting to trying to entertain her with his old office routines... it's tragic and hilarious all at once. Paolo Villaggio is just incredible. He perfectly captures that beaten-down, eternally unlucky spirit of Fantozzi. It's not just comedic acting; there's a real depth to his performance. I was constantly switching between feeling sorry for him, laughing at him, and even recognizing parts of myself in his struggles (don't tell anyone!). Anyone else find themselves strangely sympathetic towards Fantozzi, even when he's being a total disaster? I will say though, it hits differently now, I think. Maybe because I'm getting older lol, but the existential angst of retirement feels a lot less abstract and a lot more…real. Definitely recommend it if you're in the mood for something that's both funny and deeply unsettling. Just don't expect sunshine and rainbows, okay?