Original interpretation — not a still from the production
Rome at sixty-five, wondering whether the party was worth it.
The Continental Verdict
Essential
Jep Gambardella wrote one novel forty years ago and has spent the time since being charming at parties. Sorrentino films his Rome as a city of terraces, cloisters and light that arrives at four in the morning to embarrass everyone still awake. It is gorgeous to the point of provocation and quite deliberately hollow at the centre, because that is the subject.
Servillo's performance is a masterclass in the well-worn linen suit and the well-worn regret beneath it. The film asks the only question that matters after a certain age: what, precisely, did you make?
Why Watch It
The Gentleman Factor
Jep dresses immaculately and has wasted his life. Both facts are instructive.
Look Out For
- The opening terrace party
- The Villa Medici gardens at dawn
- The nun on the steps
The Locations
Palazzo Sacchetti, the Baths of Caracalla, Villa Medici, and a terrace overlooking the Colosseum.
More from the travel pages →The Cars
Little motoring, much walking — correct for Rome.
More from motoring →The Wardrobe
Jep's coloured linen jackets and unbuttoned confidence: the finest argument for a wardrobe that is not entirely navy.
More on style →The Soundtrack
Sacred choral works against nightclub house music — the film's whole thesis in sound.
Into the music room →Watch Next
Where to Watch
Prime Video; the Criterion edition is the one worth shelving.
For the Collection
Also in Continental Cinema
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