The Great Beauty
A celebrated Roman man of letters confronts the glittering emptiness of his social world and searches for beauty beneath its noise.
Overview
A poignant exploration of beauty and existential reflection amidst the opulence of Rome's nightlife.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- baroque
- witty
- melancholic
- reflective evening
- arthouse movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly acclaim the film as dazzlingly ambitious, beautifully filmed, and enthralling, while recognizing its divisive reception among some Italian critics.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lavish parties, monumental Roman spaces, and startling visual set pieces turn Jep's social world into a dazzling spectacle.
Jep turns his cutting wit on himself after his sixty-fifth birthday and a shock from the past.
The nightlife, cafés, artists, Vatican surroundings, and ancient vistas are juxtaposed with the vacuity of Rome's social circles.
Jep's literary and social commentary moves from sharp observations of his contemporaries toward questions of mortality, meaning, and beauty.
Films like The Great Beauty, and why
La dolce vita
shared decadent social satire, morally adrift protagonist, and extravagant portrait of contemporary Rome
8½
shared meditative artistic ambition, fractured self-examination, and baroque visual imagination
The Terrace
shared critique of elite social circles, spiritual emptiness, and incisive ensemble dialogue
La notte
shared lyrical urban melancholy, alienated intellectual protagonist, and contemplative modernist atmosphere
Movie Details
- Director
- Paolo Sorrentino
- Release Date
- 2013-05-21
- Runtime
- 142 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (3365)
Cast
- Toni Servillo
- Carlo Verdone
- Sabrina Ferilli
- Carlo Buccirosso
- Iaia Forte
- Pamela Villoresi
- Galatea Ranzi
- Franco Graziosi
- Sonia Gessner
- Giorgio Pasotti
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Great Beauty about?
- A celebrated Roman man of letters confronts the glittering emptiness of his social world and searches for beauty beneath its noise.
- What is The Great Beauty like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Great Beauty as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Great Beauty violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Great Beauty.
- What did critics think of The Great Beauty?
- Critics broadly acclaim the film as dazzlingly ambitious, beautifully filmed, and enthralling, while recognizing its divisive reception among some Italian critics.
- Which films are like The Great Beauty?
- Films with a similar feel include La dolce vita, 8½, The Terrace, and La notte.
- How long is The Great Beauty?
- The Great Beauty runs 142 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Great Beauty?
- In United States, The Great Beauty streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
