Watching grim news reports from Iraq lately, many people have hoped that the ongoing suffering of its people might be put into proper perspective by a funny-looking Italian bloke clowning around Baghdad in retro underwear. At last that dream has come true.

Sentimentality, slapstick, glib geopolitics, and cut-and-paste ethnic colour. On the evidence of this trailer Roberto Benigni has devised a night out at the cinema more horrible than watching the every England Test collapse against Australia since the 80s on an IMAX screen.