Dir: Paolo Sorrentino | Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti, Orlando Cinque, Milvia Venturiello | Italy Drama 131′
Paolo Sorrentino returns to form with this impressive Venice film festival opener crafted with the same serious style as his sinuous thriller The Consequences of Love (2004).
Once again Sorrentino returns to political and social intrigue as in his previous titles Loro and Il Divo the subject is a (fictitious) respected judge called De Santis who is tasked with signing a bill on the timely topic of euthanasia. He struggles with his demons to make the right, rather than the consensual decision, and crucially tackles a tricky situation involving the legal pardon ‘(la Grazia’) of a prisoner, a traditional move before his term comes to an end.
And who better to play De Santis thanToni Servillo, arguably Italian cinema’s most accomplished contemporary actor, who also starred as Berlusconi and Andreotti in Sorrentino’s previous ‘biopics’. Here he attempts to unite a nostalgic vision of an Italy of the past (when he sings with a group of retired Alpine soldiers) but also one that looks forward to a hopeful future, at a time in the West where true democracy has lost its way mired in controversy and led by lying and unscrupulous leaders.
As in The Great Beauty and Youth this is also a film about a man coming to terms with his past and an he must deal with an unfortunate indiscretion involving the president’s wife. It also explores a deep and relatable friendship that really rings true. The film looks beautiful and there’s music and witty one-liners – in short this is a joy. @MeredithTaylor
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL 2025 | OPENING FILM 2025