Parthenope (Paolo Sorrentino, 2024, Italy/France)
Parthenope is the latest effort from Italian auteur Paolo Sorrentino. Sorrentino's last film, The Hand of God , was released via Netflix and met with a positive but muted reception - at least in the United States. Parthenope , a more challenging effort than the more straightforward coming-of-age Hand , has received less critical praise. It's easy to see why many critics haven't been so kind to Parthenope . It is a film that deals in big metaphors about life, love, and country. We are introduced to our main character, Parthenope (named for one of the sirens of Greek mythology - also a site in Naples), at her birth. Parthenope is a charismatic figure who draws the attention of all men and women around her, including - as we will find out - her brother. This sordid incestuous love triangle (never explicitly realized) forms the first act of the film. This part of the film is the most conventional and the most indebted to coming-of-age tropes. As Parthenope grows older, we ...
