I’m not particularly knowledgeable about Italian movies, but Federico Fellini is a name I recognize, and this film has a reputation as one of his best. This was actually my first experience with his work, and frankly, I don't quite grasp the enthusiasm: it feels incredibly disorganized! I suspect that many viewers who haven’t studied cinema simply declared it to be good to avoid criticism—I'm happy I’m not concerned with what others think. Apparently, Fellini had run out of ideas, so production began without a clear concept from the director. He didn’t even know himself! Just as he was about to abandon the project, inspiration struck: to create a somewhat autobiographical story about a filmmaker struggling with a creative block who needed to produce a film but wasn't sure what it should be about. It was a clever idea, certainly, though it resulted in something overly complicated and fragmented. Over more than two hours, we’re presented with scenes and situations where the director seems to project his own experiences onto the main character: difficult relationships with a strict religious upbringing, internal moral conflicts, a defiant youth, the significant presence of women (his mother, wife, romantic interests)… all woven together as the confused thoughts of someone lacking inspiration. This was groundbreaking for its time, but now it feels more exhausting than engaging. The film’s technical aspects are undeniably well-executed. Nino Rota's score creates a distinctive atmosphere; the cinematography—the framing, variations in focus—is truly masterful. The locations and sets were carefully chosen. Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale appear as prominent actors, but they have better roles elsewhere, and I don’t think this film is worth seeing for their performances alone. What really bothered me was how artificial the dubbed dialogue sounded: Fellini liked to shoot with a lot of background noise—like students who study in busy cafes—and often let his actors improvise lines from brief notes given during filming; consequently, all the dialogue was recorded later and adjusted in post-production. The end result is oddly unreal, as the actors’ lip movements don't match what we hear. Yes, this is undoubtedly a significant work of Italian cinema, and understanding its context through analysis can provide some insight. However, it isn’t the kind of film that appeals to a broad audience, and it has ended up being appreciated by an intellectual elite who treat cinema as their exclusive domain, with a sort of almost mystical knowledge they don't share. I couldn't care less about that or what people call me; films like this are better suited for inducing sleep.

Source on TMDB