films seen
6
average score
3.33*
nationality
status
Alive and kicking

Movies


The Consequences of Love

Le Conseguenze dell'Amore
2004 / 100m - Italy
Crime
The Consequences of Love poster

Le Conseguenze dell'Amora is the perfect film for people who aren't really too taken by the classic mafia films and are yearning for a more modern version of the Italian underground antics.


This Must Be the Place

2011 / 118m - Italy
Comedy, Drama
This Must Be the Place poster

This Must Be The Place is a lovely mix of comedy, absurdity and human drama, featuring a strong lead and a memorable cast of secondary characters.


Youth

La Giovinezza
2015 / 124m - Italy
Comedy, Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Youth poster

Sorrentino is a great director, no doubt about it. But he isn't a great thinker, and when his films are explicitly dealing with concepts, emotions and musing about life, it can get a little iffy. Youth is no exception. While the film has a couple of clear highlights, it is dragged down by its musings about aging.

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The setting is quite nice, a fancy spa/clinic in Switzerland where the wealthy meet to relax and get better. Caine and Keitel are amusing and the first hour Sorrentino takes his time to have a little fun with the characters and setting. Nothing too highbrow or complex, but fun nonetheless. The second hour, which tries to flesh out the drama and bring some extra depth to the film, falls flat though.

Visually there is a lot to like, though it doesn't feel quite as fresh as his earlier films. The soundtrack is worse off, balancing between generic and pompous, without ever adding anything substantial to the film. Maybe it's the type of film that becomes revelatory once you reach the age of its characters, but that is still quite a way off for me. Not bad, but I expect better from Sorrentino.

The Great Beauty

La Grande Bellezza
2013 / 141m - Italy
Drama
3.0*/5.0*
The Great Beauty poster

Il Divo

2008 / 110m - Italy
Drama
3.0*/5.0*
Il Divo poster

The Hand of God

È Stata la Mano di Dio
2021 / 130m - Italy
Drama
2.5*/5.0*
The Hand of God poster

Paulo Sorrentino used to be the poster child of stylish, contemporary Italian cinema, but those times are long gone. He has aged visibly through his films, and with this latest (The Hand of God), a semi-autobiography about his teenage years, I think he's finally gone full old man.

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Fabietto, a young guy growing up in Naples during the 80s, has trouble finding his calling in life. He can't seem to land a girlfriend, his family is certified crazy, and he has no clue what to do with his life. The only thing that inspires him is the town's love for football, certainly when they hear Maradona is coming to play for their home team.

The cinematography is decent, but not as exuberant as I'd hoped, the characters are somewhat funny, but also a little irritating, and once the drama takes hold of the film it becomes a bit sluggish. Probably because Sorrentino doesn't have much interesting to tell. Still better than many others in the genre, but Sorrentino is capable of more.