Il Divo (2008)
Average Rating: 7.5/10
Reviews Counted: 48
Fresh: 44 | Rotten: 4
While the web of corruption in this Italian political thriller can be hard for a non-native to follow, the visuals and the intrigue are compelling and thrilling in equal measure.
Average Rating: 7.9/10
Critic Reviews: 19
Fresh: 18 | Rotten: 1
While the web of corruption in this Italian political thriller can be hard for a non-native to follow, the visuals and the intrigue are compelling and thrilling in equal measure.
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Average Rating: 3.8/5
User Ratings: 3,893
Movie Info
Award-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino (The Family Friend) writes and directs this cinematic portrait of seven-time Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti, whose controversial legacy peaked when he was tried for Mafia ties and subsequently acquitted. A leader with close ties to the Vatican, Andreotti was also tried and acquitted for the murder of an Italian journalist, and remains a senator for life. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Cast
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Toni Servillo
Giulio Andreotti -
Anna Bonaiuto
Livia Andreotti -
Giulio Bosetti
Eugenio Scalfari -
Flavio Bucci
Franco Evangelisti -
Carlo Buccirosso
Paolo Cirino Pomicino -
Giorgio Colangeli
Salvo Lima -
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All Critics (49) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (44) | Rotten (4) | DVD (4)
The film takes flight on the brilliant title performance by Tony Servillo (Gomorrah), who plays Andreotti like a mummified Alec Guinness, as if encased in layers of plaster of Paris.
Top CriticWe may not know the man, but we know the dance, as seen in the highly diverting and hugely controversial Il Divo, a biopic as wly as its subject.
After I saw Il Divo, I suppose I should have felt indignation. I suppose I should also have felt that way after "The Godfather." But such films present such mesmerizing figures that I simply regard them, astonished.
The enigmatic Andreotti is the perfect subject for a biopic in the European tradition.
All in all, this phenomenal film illustrates Alexis de Tocqueville's observation that "The people get the government they deserve." In both meanings of the word, Il Divo is sensational.
Il Divo joins Matteo Garrone's more expansive, more extraordinary Gomorrah -- which contains an even better performance from Servillo -- as a grim portrait of the trouble with modern Italy.
A fascinating history of recent Italian politics.
... not so much a savage satire as one disenchanted with the institutional corruption of politics.
... Sorrentino avoids the dreary conventions of the biopic in favor of a cheeky mix of music montages, dramatic re-enactments and hilariously deadpan takes ....
Combining clammy skin, busy hands, and a posture reminiscent of Snoopy in his vulture phase, [Servillo] (re-)creates a fascinating monster ... Given some CliffsNotes, the surrounding film might even be worthy of him.
Inventive and fun... Toni Servillo gives a truly exquisite performance, easily the finest seen on U.S. screens in 2009 thus far.
This is a spectacular film about corruption in high places, specifically as that relates to the political life of Giulio Andreotti, seven times prime minister of Italy and a senator for life.
A stunning piece of work that feels both familiar and completely unique at the same time.
Servillo does such a good job of suggesting the drive and intelligence of the man that he automatically becomes one of the great recent cinematic symbols of absolute political power and the questionable means utilized in order to achieve it.
Even with no knowledge of Italian government, you can enjoy this hip, un-stodgy, grimly entertaining dissection of it.
You may not leave the theater with a firmer grasp of Italian politics, but you will leave with an appreciation of some outstanding filmmaking.
There is sufficient power in the imagery and performances to make Il Divo worth hacking through.
...we get a in depth look into Italian politics. But, you don't need to be familiar with that country's volatile recent years to enjoy a fine piece of filmmaking.
Should you go into this movie with no knowledge of this slice of history, you'll not only learn something, but you'll be so entertained you may find yourself laughing out loud (when you're not shaking your head).
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Movie: ID: 770761058 Title: Il Divo Release Date: 2009-04-23 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 6 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Il Divo - Der Göttliche (DE)
- The Deity (Il Divo) (CA)
