Parthenope is the latest offering from Paolo Sorrentino (The Great Beauty, Youth, The Young Pope), a film that carries many familiar elements fans of the acclaimed filmmaker will recognise. Returning once again to his native Naples, a city that also served as a focus in his 2021 film The Hand of God, Sorrentino crafts a story steeped in beauty, tragedy, and reflection.
The narrative follows decades in the life of the titular Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta), an Italian woman whose journey begins with youthful summers in her hometown. Her life is marked by loss, a quest for meaning, the pursuit of happiness, and, as Sorrentino highlights, the dualities of beauty—both its allure and its limitations, particularly in her relationships with men. At the same time, the film doubles as an exploration of Sorrentino’s own relationship with Naples—if you’re inclined to read into it that way.
There’s no denying the director’s intention to inject various ideas into this undeniably picturesque film. However, the ideas themselves aren’t particularly new for Sorrentino. While the film dazzles visually, showcasing the director’s signature flair for glamorous, carefully composed shots of stunning locations, the balance tilts far too heavily towards style over substance. Beneath the exquisite cinematography lies a narrative that initially hints at depth, but gradually reveals itself to be disappointingly superficial.
At over two hours, Parthenope struggles to maintain momentum, with stretches that feel aimless and overly indulgent. That said, the runtime does provide room for moments of undeniable brilliance—sequences that feel like self-contained, beautifully crafted short films. There are also occasional touches of the surreal, which, while not always entirely welcome, inject a layer of intrigue into the proceedings.
The central character of Parthenope, unfortunately, lacks the depth necessary to fully explore the film’s thematic ambitions. Or perhaps the depth is there, but Sorrentino keeps her frustratingly out of reach, instead choosing to dwell on her physical beauty and its effect on the men around her. This shortcoming, however, is no fault of Celeste Dalla Porta. The newcomer delivers a captivating performance with a screen presence that is both striking and compelling, and a beauty that Sorrentino ensures is captured extensively. Performances are solid across the board; the ever-reliable Gary Oldman shines in a small role.
Parthenope is a film that, much like its protagonist, captivates on the surface but leaves you yearning for more beneath. While there’s visual splendour and the occasional wonderful sequence, the film struggles to find a meaningful, emotional core to pull us in. Themes of beauty, loss, and self-discovery are woven throughout but feel inadequately explored, leaving an air of glossed-over potential.
