Writer-director Paolo Sorrentino is one of Italy's most acclaimed filmmakers. Since his 2001 feature debut One Man Up, he has directed a string of gems, usually featuring rich characterization and stylish visuals. In this regard, he is frequently described as a throwback to Italy's golden age of auteur cinema; his movies have been compared to the work of directors like Federico Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni, and Pier Paolo Pasolini. His defining film thus far is The Great Beauty, about an aging playboy reassessing his life, which won the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar in 2014.
In addition to his features, Sorrentino also helmed the satirical TV series The Young Pope and The New Pope, which may be his most accessible projects. He shows no sign of slowing down: he reportedly has a new Naples-set movie in the works with Gary Oldman attached. It sounds like a fantastic pairing of director and star. Until then, viewers can dive into his dense body of work. Fans of complex protagonists and gorgeous cinematography are in for a treat with Sorrentino's filmography. These are his finest movies, ranked.
10 'Rio, I Love You' (2014)
Starring: Basil Hoffman, Emily Mortimer, Harvey Keitel, John Turturro
Rio, I Love You is the fourth anthology film in the Cities of Love series, following Paris, je t'aime, New York, I Love You, and Tbilisi, I Love You. Unfortunately, it's generally regarded as the weakest of the four, despite bringing together some talented filmmakers. They are Sorrentino, Carlos Saldanha, José Padilha, Andrucha Waddington, Fernando Meirelles, Nadine Labaki, Guillermo Arriaga, Stephan Elliott, John Turturro, and Im Sang-soo.
Sorrentino's segment "Fortune" opens the movie, with Basil Hoffman in the role of an elderly, weakening architect and Emily Mortimer as his crass trophy wife. Not much happens: they exchange banter and complaints, but their dialogue doesn't spark the way it does in Sorrentino's best movies. Overall, this short is tepid and underdeveloped. It feels like an exercise in style in search of a point. The other stories are not much better, although Arriaga's tale of an injured boxer and his wife who receive a life-changing offer is perhaps the strongest.
9 'One Man Up' (2001)
Starring: Toni Servillo, Andrea Renzi, Nelo Mascia, Nina Bruschetta
"Failure is catchy." Sorrentino's feature debut tells two parallel narratives, both of which center on a man named Antonio Pisapia. Tony (Toni Servillo) is a coked-up club singer who is publicly crucified after a sex scandal; Antonio (Andrea Renzi) is a star soccer player who suffers an injury that takes him off the field and relegates him to a career as a coach. Both characters attempt to find a way forward as their lives and identities are upended.
The two Pisapias' lives intersect in unexpected ways, and Sorrentino uses them to explore themes of disgrace and the pursuit of greatness. One Man Up lacks the refinement of Sorrentino's later films, but it deserves praise for its cinematography and the attention to detail in recreating 1980s Naples. The soundtrack is also evocative and pitch-perfect, with well-chosen songs doing a lot to hold the scenes together. The film is also notable for marking the first time that Sorrentino worked with Servillo. The two would go on to become frequent collaborators.
8 'Loro' (2018)
Starring: Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Ricardo Scamarcio
"Do you believe in God?" "Of course. Well, only on Mondays." Loro is Sorrentino's take on the controversial life of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (Servillo). It offers a stylized snapshot of the politician's glitzy, corrupt world, defined by lavish parties, political maneuvering, and material excess. The title means "Them", and the focus here is on all the underlings and schemers that orbit around Berlusconi. Fundamentally, this is a study of power and its corrosive effects.
Rather than being a dry biopic with a conventional narrative, Loro embraces Fellini-esque surrealism, with kaleidoscopic scenes, a meandering plot, and extensive use of music, including bold musical interludes. This works to capture the instability of its protagonist's life. Ultimately, the movie succeeds because Servillo delivers a compelling performance. He captures both Berlusconi's unsavory aspects and his charisma. While Loro could have benefited from tighter editing and a more cohesive tone, its kinetic editing and lush cinematography make it well worth watching for fans of political films.
7 'This Must Be The Place' (2011)
Starring: Sean Penn, Francis McDormand, Kerry Condon, Judd Hirsch
"I'm not trying to find myself. I'm in New Mexico, not India." This unconventional road trip movie revolves around Cheyenne (Sean Penn), a retired rock star facing a midlife crisis. Cheyenne is an intriguing character, with his whispery voice and an absurd black wig reminiscent of iconic hardcore introvert rockers like Robert Smith and David Byrne. There's a lot of drama to be mined from such an eccentric personality, and Penn is always solid in these kinds of roles, but the movie stumbles because the plot tries to do too much.
Specifically, things take a turn for the worse when it is revealed that Cheyenne is on a mission to find the Nazi who tormented his father in a concentration camp. This subplot starkly clashes with the tender exploration of the protagonist's identity. Plus, the implications of Cheyenne's lust for revenge are left largely unexplored, something that weighs down the entire film. What initially seems like a promising exploration of a unique individual devolves into a superficial caricature, making this one of Sorrentino's most disappointing experiments.
6 'The Family Friend' (2006)
Starring: Giacomo Rizzo, Laura Chiatti, Gigi Angelillo, Marco Giallini
"In the end, being brave is the last chance we have to change our lives when we stop liking ourselves." Geremia (Giacomo Rizzo) is a solitary loan shark who exerts control over the lives of his clients. However, his menacing facade begins to unravel when he becomes entangled in the lives of a struggling family, particularly the young daughter, Rosalba (Laura Chiatti). As Geremia's obsession with Rosalba grows, he grapples with the consequences of his actions and the true nature of his desires.
Here, Sorrentino's flair for style is juxtaposed with the decidedly unstylish protagonist, who is disheveled and practically oozing misanthropy. Geremia is both loathsome and laughable, but surprisingly layered. We never root for him, but we come to understand him, at least a little. Visually, dark shadows and rich colors dominate the palette, accompanied by a diverse musical selection ranging from pulsating beats to soulful melodies. The film's style alone warrants attention, but its narrative proves equally engaging, defying expectations and avoiding easy answers.