There's not many movies that you watch and immediately realize that you never will be as elegant, as charming, as cool, as loved by the ladies, as bohemian as this man. Like this man in the first half of the movie I must add. Perhaps you'll not even reach average Italian men's standard. Perhaps you'll never even own such a suit or such sunglasses (and unlike him you'll look silly wearing them at night) or such a car. And you'll never have a job that predominantly seems to consist of sipping drinks in Rome's exotic nightlife. He doesn't seem to be particularly happy though. The more the movie progresses, the more bohemian he becomes, the less likeable this man and the whole concept of *dolce far niente* becomes. What a relief that I'm not like him!

It's an iconic movie. Full of iconic scenes. Impeccable cinematography. Great locations. Rome is such a great location. Italians are such joyful, lively, emotional and dramatic people. Hard to say what this movie is actually about. It certainly doesn't have a traditional plot, but that's what makes this movie special. It's more like an existential novel or a sociology study consisting of several more or less connected episodes. Not sure if anyone would finance such a movie today. But the sometimes disorientating and fragmented storyline, mirrors what he has become.

PS: The movie coined the word *paparazzi*. I knew that before. But I was surprised where the word actually comes from.

I get it.

But, much like my feelings towards 8½ and its 130 minute exploration of the artistic anxieties clawing at an enormously successful, world-renowned filmmaker: _I just don't care._

I'll probably be crucified especially given my username and how many love this film, but I found this to be insufferable, borderline pretentious aimless drama (which I generally don't mind, see Lost in Translation, which briefly had a scene from this film) featuring a repugnant main character. Worse, it's nearly 3 hours long. I get what Fellini was going for within the first 35-minutes so I had to sit through the remainder 2+ hours. I kind of really hated this with the only positive thing to say it was shot well and great locations but this is one I will never revisit. **1.5/5**