I was disappointed in Paolo Sorrentino's film THE GREAT BEAUTY, even though it was gorgeous to look at and got all kinds of awards. Also gorgeous to look at was Sorrentino's previous film PARTHENOPE, which was set in photogenic Greece. Since a movie about government and crime affords few opportunities for lush scenery, I wasn't sure what I'd think of this one, despite its accolades. I needn't have worried it's a very satisfying movie. That splendid actor, Toni Servillo, plays an elderly Italian President on the verge of retirement. He's enjoyed his career and is reluctant to leave, even though common sense tells him that he must. With only a few months left of his final term, there is some important unfinished business that he's still undecided about. Foremost is a bill legalizing euthanasia, but there are also two petitions for pardon for sensationally publicized murders that have the population divided. One is an elderly man, played by Vasco Mirandola, who killed his Alzheimer's afflicted wife and has no desire to be pardoned, even though public opinion is overwhelmingly favorable to his being pardoned. The other is a woman (portrayed in a riveting cameo by Linda Messerklinger, an actress who is both beautiful and scary) who was constantly physically and mentally abused by her husband before she finally killed him. There is also "Elvis," a horse in government service who lies suffering in a courtyard. This situation brings to mind one of the situations in Dostoyevsky's CRIME AND PUNISHMENT. (This is a movie that is rich in irony.) Then, there is also a personal issue that is tormenting him. He knows his late wife was unfaithful to him, but he doesn't know with whom. He feels that he MUST know and there are several possibilities for who the culprit could be. And that is the basic situation. How will he resolve these issues? Believe it or not, there's a lot of humor in his attempts to solve them. He lives with his unmarried daughter (Anna Ferzetti), who is also his devoted assistant. It is she that he depends upon for advice. Some say that she is "the power behind the throne." He also has a good friend, Coco (a delightful Milvia Marigliano), who was also a devoted friend of his late wife. She says she knows the identity of his wife's secret lover, but refuses to tell him. Ultimately everything is resolved in surprising ways. I liked this movie a lot and consider it easily one of 2025's best. I strongly recommend it for people who like art films.

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