Alice Rohrwacher’s directorial effort and screenplay presents a story (or perhaps a parable?) set in rural Italy, exploring themes of social commentary alongside critiques of capitalism and class distinctions, where sharecroppers remain unaware of their essentially enslaved condition due to a lack of understanding. Lazzaro, the central character, embodies an innocent nature, finding joy in bringing happiness to others with a genuinely kind heart; he doesn't know his parents but perhaps recognizes his grandmother. The film’s setting is difficult to place—few clues suggest whether it’s the 60s or 70s until later when a cellphone from the 90s appears, illustrating the reality of these people's lives. They exist under the authority of Marchesa Alfonsina De Luna until Lazzaro encounters her rebellious son, Tancredi, who seeks to escape the decline of his family’s finances and formulates a plan. This plan inadvertently leads to an event that propels Lazzaro twenty or thirty years into the future. Through coincidence or fate, he meets robbers in what is now a dilapidated rural estate (unaware they are connected to his past "family"), and later in the city where he’s recognized by an old female acquaintance—Alba, Rohrwacher's older sister—who is the only one who perceives the inexplicable fact that he hasn’t aged. In this future urban environment, he finds himself living among a similarly ignorant and self-centered group of people (with some exceptions), and unexpectedly crosses paths with the Baroness’s son again, still clinging to dreams of wealth that have crushed his spirit. Without revealing the conclusion, it's disheartening to witness Lazzaro’s purity disregarded, his unhappiness stemming from a feeling of being merely a friend, and his attempts to rectify situations through misguided innocence (it doesn't conclude with a happy resolution). It’s a film that might not appeal to all audiences but stands out for showcasing such goodness and an unblemished heart within our society. The cinematography is well done, featuring a color palette created using Kodak Super 16mm film by cinematographer Hélène Louvart AFC, along with strong performances from the lead actor, Adriano Tardiolo, who is new to acting. I’d give this film a rating of 8.0 out of 10.0 / A-.

Source on TMDB