Il Divo
Dir: Paolo Sorrentino
2008
*****
What an astonishing biopic. Only in Italy, with their rather dubious politics could a film like this be made but Paolo Sorrentino has got some front to openly accuse the former-prime minister and powerful figurehead of some horrendous crimes. This is a good thing though, we need more directors like Sorrentino. Italy is rich with confident filmmakers though, Matteo Garrone took just as many risks directing Gomorrah as Roberto Saviano did writing it. Could they be the next Pier Paolo Pasolini & Federico Fellini? My answer is yes, because not only did they simplify a complicated storey, they also filmed them beautifully. IL Divo is dripping with Italian style, every frame has been planed meticulously and everyone looks like they're in an Edward Hopper painting. The story and visuals slow down slightly in the second half but that is when Toni Servillo's Giulio Andreotti really comes alive, the slightest expression creating suspense, intrigue an genuine excitement. This is an awesome film, Phyllida Lloyd should have taken note with her film about the life and career of Margaret Thatcher.