The Great Beauty
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“The Great Beauty,” directed by Paolo Sorrentino, is an intimate Italian film that tells the story of journalist Jep Gambardella, played by Toni Servillo. Gambardella is famous for the single novel he wrote in his twenties and was at the top of the Rome nightlife scene in his younger years. An unexpected surprise from his past and his 65th birthday leaves Jep reflecting on his life and what he did not see when he was young.
This film cycles among dinners with Italian contemporaries, flashbacks, all-night parties and visits with friends. There’s not much of a direct narrative arc — rather, the film focuses on Jep’s personal reflections. It is often cerebral and occasionally surreal, complementing the sentimental mood.
Jep’s cunning wit and apathetic personality bring comic relief into the film. This works well for the film because it lightens the heavy mood.
The cinematography captures the beauty of Rome and seamlessly bridges the gap between reality and the world inside Jep’s head.
The film can get slow during Jep’s frequent and lengthy strolls around the streets of Rome. It can also get repetitive from cyclical, similar scenes.
From the opening party scene to the last, the film is aesthetically and poetically brilliant. Sorrentino creates a character with Jep who is lovable and mysterious, one who we all want to spend a dinner party with.
— Dixon Ferrell
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