To be perfectly honest, I was afraid of this one as an opening movie for several reasons:
a) the simple one: I did not like many of Sorrentino’s movies that I have seen. And to be even more perfectly honest, when “Partenope”’s (his latest film) trailer caught me in the Brussels cinema, it made me want to run in the opposite direction. To the point that I refused to see the movie (don’t take me wrong, maybe it’s great and only the trailer is a big mistake – at least in my humble opinion – … however it is not really what the reviews I have read about it said). Anyhow, reason A, big doubt about Sorrentino.
Reason B is a bit of a more complex (and personal) one. It’s the context around which we attend this year’s Mostra, which made (and still makes) me fear that my tolerance levels for a potentially pretentious and/or too aesthetically focused movie are pretty low. And let’s face it, in my understanding of things, Sorrentino does have a tendency to both: pretentiousness and aesthetics.
Tomorrow we will be spreading my papa’s ashes into the Venetian laguna. Hence I really am not in the mood for bullshit. This year, I just want emotions, sensitivity, truth, humour and heartwarming/moving moments.
(I take this opportunity for a little spoiler alert: I might therefore be blunter than ever in my opinions, exactly for this reason).
So how did Sorrentino survive my 2025 “no bullshit” filter? Well, believe it or not, surprisingly well! I had loads of fun!
Of course the movie is too long, but this is a trend for Sorrentino. And this is also a trend in this year’s Mostra, where barely no movie of the official selection lasts for less than two hours. With 20mins less, I would have absolutely fallen for it.
BUT (and there are many BUTs that play in its favour) 1) it’s extremely funny 2) the dialogues are absolutely great and 3) Tony Servillo.
Tony Servillo plays an Italian president, very well respected by the population, a man of law and a strong believer facing the last weeks of his presidential mandate. Facing as well his ultimate (and extremely key) presidential decisions: signing (or not) the law on euthanasia and potentially pardoning two murderers. These choices to make and the upcoming end of his career trigger in him quite some thinking – about his recently passed wife and the lover (whose identity is still unknown) she once had 40 years ago, about “who owns our days” and generally about what is right.
This sounds quite serious, I know. But add to it a sudden presidential passion for an italian rap song (encompassing many inappropriate words that Tony Servillo enjoys reciting loudly in the presidential palace). Add to it his daughter who puts him on a quinoa and fish diet that makes Coco, the president’s quite exuberant oldest friend, tell him that “he is not having a dinner but an hypothesis”. Add to it many other such unexpected twists and an absolutely fantastic Tony Servillo, whose face says it all without saying anything. And you actually end up spending a really nice evening.
Conclusion: a really enjoyable opening of the 2025 Mostra!
Klara's cinema 