Parthenope (2025) Review

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“Parthenope” Film Details

Runtime: 2 Hours and 16 Minutes
Release Date: February 7, 2025
Initially Available On/Via:  Theatrical Release
Advisory Film Rating: Rated R
Genre(s): Drama, Young Adult, Non-English (Italian), Non-English (Neapolitan), Historical
Distributor(s): A24
Director(s): Paolo Sorrentino
Writer(s): Paolo Sorrentino

Summary

From her birth in 1950 to her senior years in 2023, we follow Naples-born Parthenope, an undeniably beautiful woman. Her beauty unlocks opportunities to meet various people from divergent walks of life, and we see how each influences her and forms who she is over time.

Character Descriptions

Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta, Stefania Sandrelli)

No matter her age, Parthenope is always seen as a beautiful woman, but many don’t take note of her curiosity. She is a student of humanity, and with every opportunity to meet new people or find herself welcomed in unfamiliar territory or cultures, she watches, matches wits, and, when safe, asks questions. It has made her well-informed and maybe a tad jaded in her later years, but she is always fascinated by people, what they do, and why.

Review

Highlight(s)

• Parthenope Never Uses Her Beauty As A Crutch [84/100]

Throughout “Parthenope,” it is undeniable she is a beautiful woman who, even before she was born, was given immense privilege. Her bed was from a billionaire who gave her a chariot remodeled into a bed, her family, due to working for said billionaire, wanted for nothing and she could have nearly anything or anyone she wanted. Yet, it is made a point, via Parthenope’s pursuit of becoming a professor of anthropology, that she values education and people in the experiences they can give her, not the material things or their desires.

Which, don’t get us wrong, Parthenope does enjoy sex once she gets to know someone and can fall in love with who they are and their culture. But, it’s weird how you see her go back and forth between almost being a wallflower to almost sleuth with a look of a femme fatale, yet she means no harm. You could say “Parthenope,” for its time pursues being the opposite of “Anora.”

• The People We Meet And How They Drive Interest In Naples [83/100]

As noted in the on-the-fence portion below, “Parthenope” heavily focuses on Parthenope’s 20s and 30s, and she takes advantage of opportunities given to her to meet writers, high-level priests, gangsters, and actresses. While the first one we meet, played by Gary Oldman, is dry and sets a terrible tone for the rest of the film, the rest bring personality, vivaciousness, and intrigue.

I would even say, when it comes to Naples, especially with the end of “My Brilliant Friend,” it pushes you to want to see more of the city and all it holds. For if so many personalities can come from there or be drawn to there, there has to be something in the water, right? Something in the air has to seduce such personalities and people to the area and from women, men, and everything in between and outside, like Parthenope.

On The Fence

• The First Quarter Is A Bit Dry, If Not Boring [73/100]

As noted above, what makes “Parthenope” is less so the title character and more so the people who enter her life because of the opportunities her beauty affords her. Sadly, the handful of people we originally are bland. The billionaire may have a big personality, but he isn’t seen too much, and probably his most notable appearance is in the film’s trailer.

Gary Oldman’s character, a writer, is very doom and gloom, and while poetic, he is the type of character where, if you walk into this movie after a long day, are even the slightest bit tired, and the theater seat is comfortable, you may doze off.

Thankfully, though, things pick up after a major event that ends one of the first chapters of what we witness in Parthenope’s life.

• It’s Poetic To The Point of Sometimes Feeling Pretentious [75/100]

If you didn’t know better, you’d think “Parthneope” was based on classic literature with the way people talk, how they are drawn, and even, to a point, how they perform. Something about it feels theatrical, though rarely does anyone pursue being big. With that, it eases its way into feeling pretentious, made just for those who demand movies to be called cinema, and if it isn’t challenging its audience, it isn’t art but fast food.

Now, I should note that it doesn’t feel like this throughout the movie, and sometimes Parthenope’s way of seeing people leads to her having back-and-forths that lead to lines like:

“At the end of life, irony remains.”

For those who enjoy wordplay, this can eventually lead you to shift your take on how people operate in the movie. But, I think it requires a particular love for movies like “Parthenope” to get into all it has to offer and over the initial hump of seeing the superficial life Parthenope partly rejects.

• The Huge Gap Of Time Missing In Parthenope’s Life [74/100]

“Parthenope” skips its title character’s childhood and teen years and jumps right to her being 18 in 1968. From there, it heavily covers her early to mid-20s in 1973, 1974, and 1975, her early 30s in 1982, and then flies to 2023, when she is 73. At times, this can feel like a disservice.

Granted, the movie is already over 2 hours long, but at times, you’ll want Parthenope to be more than a Trojan Horse or medium to other people’s lives and want to actually take an interest in her. I mean, to keep with the poetic way the film operates, you could say she is a reflection of the people she meets and what makes them as an individual exciting, beautiful, or of interest. However, at times, it makes her seem empty.

Now, this isn’t to discount her education and the wit she shows in conversation. Still, at times, it can feel the film is unsure how to balance the perception that she is just a beautiful woman, afforded lavish opportunities, and also someone who earned them because she is studious, honors opportunities as they come, and generally a decent human being.

• The People Closest To Parthenope You Take The Least Interest In [72/100]

You would think that, with Parthenope initially attracting so many interesting people due to her parents, they would be of interest, but you’d be wrong. Whether it is her parents, her brother, or even someone who seemingly has loved or has been infatuated with Parthenope all her life, they aren’t interesting enough to learn the names of.

It’s odd, but it also can be considered part of the reason the first chapter of Parthenope’s life that we’re introduced to comes off so lifeless. For even when it comes to Parthenope’s brother, while he can be imagined as someone interesting, he may only capture your attention as far as the assumption that he might be gay but is trying to hide it.

Overall

Our Rating (76/100): Mixed (Divisive)

“Parthenope” is not for everyone. It seemingly wishes to honor the romanticism of the country and language it is set in and wishes to have a push-and-pull relationship with Parthenope, as it challenges expectations while highlighting the privilege that does come from its lead character’s beauty. Sometimes it works, and you are left thinking Naples is perhaps one of the best places to have a movie or show set, for the locale consistently delivers. Yet, with a rough start and, at times, feeling the movie does Parthenope a disservice by solely focusing on her youth, the film can seem like it was well-intentioned and sticks the landing, but not with grace.

Content Information

• Dialog: Cursing
• Violence: Self-Harm (off screen)
• Sexual Content: Nudity (Full [ Female – Backside Only, Chest], Gratuitous), Sexual Situations (Implied – soft core)
• Miscellaneous: Drinking, Smoking

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