She’s back! Sophia Loren gave a really wonderful performance here, proving her status as a legendary actress. The role gave her quite a bit to do, and she nailed it. Her line delivery was really convincing and the emotional beats were handled perfectly. I also want to acknowledge the child actors who did a really great job as well. All the performances were really strong here. 

The story was interesting and engaging here, but idk if it’s anything new. We’ve definitely seen this story before, but I’m ok with that considering that I didn’t expect much from that aspect. The cinematography was really nice, and the director made some pretty great choices too. It’s a nice movie that gives Sophia Loren a chance to show her acting talents and it’s amazing to get to see her in 2020.

WOW! 

Arguably, The Life Ahead possesses a considerably straightforward plot that feels quite predictable. However, the film still shines brilliantly in its warm, genuine tone. 

The two leads, the great Sophia Loren and newcomer Ibrahima Gueye both burst through the screen with their chemistry and individual performances. Alongside them is a wonderful supporting performance from Abril Zamora and some other fantastic child performances. A well rounded, impressively blended tale of relationships at their worst and their best. 

As mentioned above, the film possesses within it a warmth that feels so tender and heartfelt. Even at the films more heavy points, the warmth remains, keeping the audience grounded in a universal sense of love. Fantastic stuff.

Legendary actress Sophia Loren delivers her best performance in decades as a Holocaust survivor & daycare worker who takes in a troubled young boy in THE LIFE AHEAD. A beautiful, tender & heartbreaking drama about living life on your own terms. Ibrahima Gueye impresses in his acting debut.

It's a moving and compelling story based on Romain Gary's novel 'La vie devant soi'... this Italian drama starring Sophia Loren is set in seaside Italy and follows a jewish, Holocaust survivor named Rosa.

Her childcare business takes in a 12-year-old boy named Momo powerfully portrayed by Ibrahima Gueye. And an unlikely match, Momo and Rosa grow on each other and soon develop a bond of mutual support, friendship and love. 

Loren's acting, as well as that of the young Ibrahima Gueye and trans actress Abril Zamora raises the quality and power of the production even more. Their performances and the film itself were so genuine in ways that really leave us an impact. Also, I’m glad to see a trans character centered in the family narrative that wasn't grim or painful.

2O2O Ranked

Edoardo Ponti directs his mother: Sophia Loren. It's not only slow, but ANOTHER adaptation of Romain Gary's La Vie devant soi, known to American audiences as Madame Rosa. I am a little biased since I love Simone Signoret, so I found it to be ultimately unnecessary.

Diego Gary (son of the novelist Romain Gary -- extra points for being Jean Seberg's son too) is listed as associate producer.

Netflix release date: November 13, 2020

It’s fine. It does what you expect it to and nothing more. But there were enough genuine moments that I liked it overall. Sophia Loren and Ibrahima Gueye are very good. I don’t think there is a reason to nominate Loren for an Oscar other than her just being Sophia Loren. It’s just Central Station but not as good.

The Life Ahead is a beautiful and moving film about how the effects of loss manifest in two people of different generations and who both carry a similar pain in their hearts. Sophia Loren gives a subdued yet powerful performance and Ibrahima Gueye is wonderful in his debut.

Side notes: Sophia Loren is getting an Oscar nomination, the film could definitely get an International Feature nom if submitted, has a trans woman played by a trans woman who isn’t met with any conflict and whose sexuality isn’t made into a big deal we love to see it

Review by Eric Kohn

On paper, “The Life Ahead” sounds like sentimental mush — orphaned immigrant kid gets rescued from a tortuous life of crime by the maternal Holocaust survivor and former prostitute who takes him in. And make no mistake: Director Edoardo Ponti, who directs his mother Sophia Loren as said survivor opposite newcomer Ibrahima Gueye as the immigrant child in question, certainly has made that kind of movie. But with its formidable odd couple at the center and Ponti’s alternately slick and sensitive direction, “The Life Ahead” manages to make the case for its hackneyed setup in real time.

A ATUAÇÃO DAQUELA CRIANÇA...

Enjoyed this quite a bit more than I expected. Somewhat familiar in terms of narrative, but admirably subtle in its presentation and far more emotional and, ultimately, heartbreaking than I saw coming. Sophia Loren is great and it's nice to see her onscreen again but I'm really *really* impressed with the kid, Ibrahima Gueye. This is truly his movie and he runs away with it; I hope we see more of him down the road.

The movie that SHOULD have won both best foreign language film award and best supporting actor(if he were nominated) . With the on going love of all things black and Korean, The Life Ahead has a superb supporting role (should be main actor) for Ibrahima Gueye in his first main feature as Senegal street kid Momo. Directed by her son Edoardo Ponti, Loren without make up and looking simply amazing for her 86 years puts in a performance that would put most to shame. A rugged, charming movie that sees Loren play retired prostitute Madame Rosa who now looks after lost children off the streets in her run down apartment block in Puglia, Italy. Certainly worthy of a Golden Globe Award.

It's a remake, and the plot is very predictable.
The cast, however, is very good. Sophia Loren and Ibrahima Gueye have wonderful chemistry, and give us terrific performances.

quando essere invisibile è peggio che non vivere, nessuno ti vede ma io sì... ❤

Come al solito mi disturba molto che a Bari nessuno abbia un accento barese

miss sophiaaaaaaa 😗👌

Congratulations Diane Warren and Laura Pausini on your Best Original Song win.

You’ve seen all this shit a hundred times before yawn yawn yawn yawn yawn.

Made me feel there.

Ok, cool, Sofia Loren, I get it, but can we talk about Ibrahima Gueye for a second? He's acting opposite Hollywood royalty and steals every scene.
Can't really say I found anything beyond their performances and the third act as particularly interesting though.

para já, é italiano, o que me conquista rápido!
Sobre amor, abandono, cedência e aprendizagem. No fundo, sobre aprender a amar e sobre a dor que isso pode trazer...