Parthenope
A mythic young woman wanders through Naples, desire, and intellectual fascination while the city becomes both her beloved home and her stage.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- dreamy
- sensual
- wistful
- quiet evening
- arthouse movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly admire the film's sumptuous craft and ambitious ideas while finding its self-conscious mythology, cryptic characterization, and narrative weakness limiting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Parthenope is born from the sea, linked to the siren myth, and repeatedly approached as an extraordinary or symbolic figure.
The film presents Naples, Capri, coastlines, interiors, and bodies through Sorrentino's deliberately sumptuous visual style.
Parthenope's youth is defined by falling in love with Naples and encountering its memorable characters across long summers.
Parthenope's relationships with Raimondo, Sandrino, John Cheever, and other figures turn attraction into a form of personal and artistic formation.
Films like Parthenope, and why
The Great Beauty
opulent italian drama, sensual imagery, and a charismatic protagonist moving through memory, desire, and social spectacle
The Hand of God
stylized coming-of-age drama centered on a young woman, charged sexuality, and an evocative relationship with an italian city
La Dolce Vita
dreamlike european art cinema combining romantic melancholy, mythic femininity, and elaborate visual composition
I Am Love
meditative portrait of youth, desire, and artistic identity shaped by an intensely rendered italian setting
Movie Details
- Director
- Paolo Sorrentino
- Release Date
- 2024-10-24
- Runtime
- 137 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (792)
Cast
- Celeste Dalla Porta
- Stefania Sandrelli
- Gary Oldman
- Silvio Orlando
- Luisa Ranieri
- Peppe Lanzetta
- Isabella Ferrari
- Silvia Degrandi
- Lorenzo Gleijeses
- Daniele Rienzo
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 Parthenope about?
- A mythic young woman wanders through Naples, desire, and intellectual fascination while the city becomes both her beloved home and her stage.
- What is Parthenope like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Parthenope as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Parthenope violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Parthenope.
- What did critics think of Parthenope?
- Critics broadly admire the film's sumptuous craft and ambitious ideas while finding its self-conscious mythology, cryptic characterization, and narrative weakness limiting.
- Which films are like Parthenope?
- Films with a similar feel include The Great Beauty, The Hand of God, La Dolce Vita, and I Am Love.
- How long is Parthenope?
- Parthenope runs 137 minutes.
- Where can I watch Parthenope?
- In United States, Parthenope streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
