Pinocchio (2002 film)

[5] It received an English-language dub in the United States, released by Miramax Films in December 2002, which was critically panned.

He then meets The Fox and the Cat, who trick him out of his money, telling him to plant it to grow a 'money tree' in the Miracle Meadow near the town of "Grab-A-Dimwit".

While there, Pinocchio meets Lucignolo, a thief that stole 29 lollipops from a candy shop (although the judges are shown eating them) who is being released.

Inside the farmer's paddock, he sees a sick donkey who he immediately recognizes as Lucignolo, but his friend tragically dies from working too hard.

With his wish granted, he and his father see his old puppet body in the corner of the house, and he sets off his actual first day of school.

[7] The English version includes some differences, such as changed dialogue, various shortened scenes, and added narration by David Suchet.

"[11] Roberto Nepoti of La Repubblica stated: "The film is a kind of linear translation of the book, illustrated by the splendid scenographies of Danilo Donati, played by good actors, accompanied by special effects of excellent levels but where, unfortunately, something is missing.

"[12] Pinocchio went on to receive six nominations at the David di Donatello Awards, winning two in the process: Best Sets and Decorations and Best Costumes, both to Danilo Donati.

[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 11 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".

[17] Peter Howell of The Toronto Star wrote that, "while there's no question that Benigni has the stamina and comic timing to play a mischievous child, even his considerable charisma cannot conceal the fact that he's a 50-year-old man in a red-and-white Harlequin suit, running around frantically pretending to be a boy.

Braschi is utterly charmless as the Blue Fairy, despite making her entrance in a Cinderella carriage pulled by oversized white mice, one of the movies few visual feats.

[13] David Noh of Film Journal International referred to Meyer's performance as a "ridiculously inappropriate Valley Boy voice".

[19] Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times stated that the voices "are so sloppy you might feel as if you're watching a 1978 Hong Kong action picture: the dubbed mouths of the Italian cast are probably still moving an hour after the film is over".

Particularly puzzling is the decision to overdub Benigni with the flat American tones of Breckin Meyer (Rat Race), instead of allowing Benigni's own fractured English to inject some badly needed levity (the English voices include Monty Python's John Cleese and Eric Idle, adding to suspicions that these two will take any gig that comes with a paycheque).

"[18] Ken Fox of TV Guide wrote: "there's no getting past the shockingly poorly dubbed voice work of the English-speaking cast; Meyer's voice is particularly shrill and grating", but praised Benigni's performance and make up effects, stating: "he's one Italian icon playing another, and physically, he's actually quite good" and, "the art direction is often exquisite, and the anthropomorphic animal characters are beautifully realized through clever makeup design.

Roberto Benigni and his wife Nicoletta Braschi starred as Pinocchio and the Blue Fairy respectively. Aside from playing the title character, Benigni also served as the film's director and writer.
The English dub of the movie was heavily criticized, including Breckin Meyer 's performance as the title character. [ 13 ]