Review by tmpsvita

Sorrentino tells with a lot of irony both satirical and grotesque but also with respect and much esteem the life of Berlusconi, or rather a period of it, probably the most difficult, speculated, polemized and known of his life both private and political and therefore public. Divided into two parts, the second comes out a few weeks away from the premiere, a film that has already discussed long before its release, at the beginning because of its extremely delicate as interesting topic and then precisely because of this questionable, although understandable, division into two films (certainly for reasons of film duration but also and above all for economic reasons, seeing that in this way it could earn almost double) that led the film to be excluded from the official selection for the films in competition at the next Cannes Film Festival, so it was a double edged sword at the end. As for me, after all, I appreciated this choice, even stylistic if we want, because it has made the film, naturally shorter and therefore enjoyable, but also much lighter and with a very reduced risk of boring the public as the rhythm, however, very slow and calm of the whole film. In fact, although it is a comedy with dramatic nuances very slow, especially in the development of the plot that in this first part seems almost hinted, I have never bored or disinterested, indeed thanks to the great talent of Sorrentino with his unique way of frame things and make everything extremely exaggerated and bizarre almost to the limit of realistic but at the same time credible because it is placed in a context that is also extreme; and thanks to an elegant editing that gives the right rhythm to the film and thanks to a modern soundtrack very accurate and atmospheric, the film manages to capture, for its entire duration, the attention of the viewer who remains totally involved. Also thanks to the extraordinary interpretations in the first place that of Toni Servillo who continues role by role to surprise with his innate talent that made him perhaps the best Italian actor of these years, also excellent Bentivoglio and to say the least surprising Scamarcio. Unfortunately, at the end it remains the feeling of having seen an half-film that has said little of what it means and never reaches a climax because it is impossible to by a cut too sharp and strong that makes it incomplete and therefore not very rewarding, Sorrentino it would have to sweeten better, make this division less felt. In short, a little regret at the end remains but at the same time I can not wait to watch the second and last part to see what road will take this interesting and unique project.