The Italian dialogue is described as crisp and well-supported by clear English subtitles.

Some viewers report needing to watch the film more than once because the cinematography is so captivating that it's difficult to look away long enough to read the subtitles.

The film is "extremely wordy" with complex, high-speed dialogue (such as Jep's "ice-cool" verbal takedowns of his peers), which may require focused attention to follow via subtitles. Critical Consensus

Reviews of major English-language releases, particularly from The Criterion Collection, highlight the following: