17/20
Partenope is a woman named after her city. Siren or myth? In Greek myth, Partenope is a mermaid who committed suicide after failing to charm Odysseus. Her body was washed ashore by the tide to where Castel dell’Ovo is now built, and so she gave her name to the city that would later become Neapolis, Naples. In the film, Partenope is the personification of the city of Naples. Warmth Written by Peter Gregson Speakers: Peter Gregson, Warren Zielinski, Magdalena Filipczak, Laurie Anderson, Ashok Klouda. I was a bit disappointed with his last film È STATA LA MANO DI DIO, and with PARTENOPE I remembered what moved me so much in Sorrentino’s films. Everything is beautiful, from the city of Naples and its pristine waters to the still unknown goddess Celeste da Porta. Add Fellini’s shots and Lela Marchitelli’s beautiful jazz music: you have perfection. The beauty of life in its insignificance… You might think he’s making another GRANDE BELLEZZA, but he’s not. Sorrentino manages to surprise us once again by treating what is ultimately the same theme in a new way. The film asks unanswered questions, as if it wants to stop looking for answers and start observing the beauty of the world as it is. As a result, the viewer leaves the cinema not with answers, but with an interesting perspective on life, and ultimately death… Oh, I almost forgot, the main character of the film is Gary Oldman. Although his screen time is limited, he gives an incredible performance. Then he withdraws, as if to encourage us to enjoy the film, convincing us (by his presence in the cast) to go see it. So I know it won’t be liked by everyone – some scenes are quite strange, I must admit – but for me this film gave me everything I did (and didn’t expect) when I entered the cinema. I sincerely hope/think it will win the Palme d’Or 😉