Parthenope

I believe this film has a lot more in common with last year's other hit, The Substance, than you might think. Because in my opinion, Parthenope shouldn't be seen as a human character: she represents Youth itself. Anyone who is attracted to Parthenope is actually attracted to Youth.

"She's always fleeing," says her brother Raimondo, because Youth is a substance that constantly slips through our fingers like sand.

I think there is also an obvious parallel with Aphrodite, who was born from sea foam: Parthenope was born in the water of the Mediterranean Sea.

But nice metaphors, analogies and beautiful cinematography are not enough to touch my soul. For me, this film is only a faint shadow of La grande bellezza. I couldn't help but compare the two films and think that Sorrentino put much more soul into La grande bellezza, because he understands men, but not so much women.

What also disappointed me in this film was the acting of Celeste Dalla Porta and Dario Aita: it's not my cup of tea at all, I found their performance very forced. Although I enjoyed the acting of Luisa Ranieri and Gary Oldman.

Overall, it definitely won't be my favorite Sorrentino film.

Along the lines of the legendary beauty Aphrodite, "Parthenope" (Celeste Dalla Porta) was born in the sea and grew to become a great temptress to both of her male contemporaries. The first being her obsessed brother "Raimondo" (Daniele Rienzo) and the other her adoring childhood friend "Sandrino" (Dario Alta) whose unrequited love for her drove him to distraction. Not, however, to such distraction as that of her sibling, It's when the trio decide to head for an unfunded trip from their home in Naples to the nearby island of Capri that she meets elderly American writer/dipso "Cheever" (Gary Oldman) who finds her intriguing but appears to have a certain immunity to her charms and she's not used to that. Whilst on this carefree trip there befalls a tragic realisation that causes all of them to appreciate the stark realities and fickle shallowness of their lives and brings into focus senses of grief, rejection and emptiness. It's a beautifully photographed piece of cinema, this film, with sparing dialogue and a sexually, but not explicitly so, charged chemistry abundant throughout this rather visually extravagant but disappointingly soulless drama. It is a bit like a postcard upon which is a beautiful picture but just too few words to develop the characters or to quite put enough meat on their perfectly formed bones. Indeed as the second hour starts to drag, the whole thing begins to look more like a repetitively self-indulgent vanity exercise that might be rooted in mythology but that struggles to engage beyond the superficial. It's classy and stylish and well worth a look - but look appears to be all Paolo Sorrentino wants us to do.

Somewhat disappointed by his last film È STATA LA MANO DI DIO, with PARTHENOPE I was reminded of what had touched me so much with the films of Sorrentino. Everything is beautiful, from the city of Naples and its pristine water to the yet unknown goddess Celeste da Porta. Add to it the Fellini-like shots and the wonderful jazz soundtrack by Lele Marchitelli : you get perfection.

The beauty of life in its insignificance... One might think he's making another GRANDE BELLEZZA, but it's just not the case. Sorrentino manages to surprise us once again, with a new way of dealing with what is - ultimately - the same topic.

The movie asks questions without ever answering them, as if to say that one should just stop looking for answers and start observing the beauty of the world for what it is. As a result, the spectator leaves the theater not with answers, but with an interesting take on life, and ultimately death...

Oh, and I almost forgot, the movie stars Gary Oldman. Though his onscreen time is limited, he manages to pull out a wonderful performance. He then withdraws, as if he were urging us to enjoy the movie he convinced us (by his presence in the cast) to go watch.

So I know not everybody is going to like it - some scenes are pretty weird I have to admit - but as far is I'm concerned, this movie gave me everything I did (and didn't) expect when stepping into the theater. Sincerely hope/think it will win Palme d'Or.

Grazie Paolo ;)

I was so close to leaving the cinema half way through this film, but stayed. And the best bits are actually in the 2nd half so Im giving it 6 stars instead of the 4 which the first half deserved. However, I still dont think this is a good movie. Fantastic visually yes, for Sorrentino is a master of unforgettable filmic tableaus, but that just isn't enough.

The overall problem...There is no plot, it's more a series of separate scenes on narcissism, or rather that's how they come across. I think Sorrentino wanted to create something profound but the result feels contrived and sad.

And then there's the anticlimactic ending - a sudden flash forward 50 years to an oddly empty/vacant character that is Parthenope in her 70s. What? Why?

May be Parthenope is not the best, but I still think it might be my personal favorite among all of Sorrentino's films.

For me, it is not about history, religion, philosophy, or even family, but simply the story of a young goddess experiencing the beauty, love, desire and sorrow of life-a film that ultimately turns the gaze back to our everyone's own lives. So fragile, so nonsensical, so bizarre, so contradictory, so meaningless-yet still met with both smiles and tears in the face of reality... o forse non è così.

I don't see Parthenope as a "moralized lecture" that offers answers or explanations. On the contrary, it feels like a breathtaking and poetic piece of prose that touches me deeply.