The neorealist tropes are strong with this film. I mean this in the best way; this is a slow, meandering film that may be a bit boring at times but in the end is a wonderful examination of life. The obvious focus on a specifically poor family is also a main focal point of the film, but I honestly enjoyed the more universal aspects of childhood and family that were present in this movie's tropes. The setting and lighting were both top notch, I'm definitely glad that this was shot almost entirely on location. The few scenes that did not take place in the family home were some of the most captivating in the entire runtime, but perhaps the most interesting scenes were those that chose to really play with the sound, especially when the music would cut out so the focus gets heightened on the characters and the moment they are living in. The ending is of course brutally sad and beautiful at the same time. It is not very often that I can find beauty in sadness, but this is one of those rare moments. While some of the story elements were a little confusing to me (why the hell did the father not write back for 5 months??) the overall messaging of the film is very good, and I will be watching this again someday.