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4/13/16

Paolo Sorrentino's 'Youth'

(No Spoilers)
This movie. This fucking movie. Up to the first four minutes of the film i was already drooling over how marvellous was everything that i was seeing. Because if something makes Sorrentino stand out is the powerful images, at times oneiric scenes that  speak louder than words.

Before i continue i have to admit that i have only seen his last two works, 'La Giovinezza' and 'La Gran Belleza' (The Great Beauty) but these two have been enough to have my complete attention on him. And while 'The Great Beauty' was a reflection on nightlife, leisure and being bored by all that, despite the glamour, the wealth and the apparent wisdom of artists and poets, in 'Youth' it depicts the contemplation of life growing old while surrounded by a society that glorifies and celebrates youth and has no room for anyone past that age and time.

Starring two old and enormous actors, Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel reflect on life and success, past mistakes and failed flames and all that while contemplating the ephemeral beauty that surrounds them while they're vacationing together. Both Caine and Keitel are companions in life and while one has retired from music, the only thing he understands, the other one is trying to complete his last movie that will serve as his final will after some disastrous works.

This movie is an observation of life at an old age, when it seems that everything glorious that could happen was long time ago and we're only witness of everyone else's prime of their lives. And Sorrentino achieves that with superb performances by his two leading actors, an spectacular cinematography and reflections that transcend the screen and make you think about what's slowly running through our fingers without noticing, that is the time of beauty, of feeling alive. Our youth.

You can see more stunning images after the cut, including the shot that has trapped me for days, that shot towards the ending of Michael Caine's character sitting in the hotel room, totally mesmerizing.



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