Parthenope Review

Parthenope is Paolo Sorrentino’s newest film, released in 2024, and it’s a welcome refreshment, as it delves into complex and ambivalent themes.

From the trailer, one might assume that the movie focuses solely on women and the price of beauty, but it goes beyond that. In my view, this film is truly about the city of Naples itself and its contradictions that we will analyze in this review.

Introduction

Parthenope, much like the beauty of Naples and Italy, is breathtaking. If you were captivated by the grandeur of Rome in The Great Beauty, this film essentially feels like something between a postcard and a painting especially Capri.

Living in France, the north and south have completely different vibes. My guess is that Italy, shares a similar complexity but perhaps push to a further extreme.

The movie opens with “Exodus,” the same soundtrack used in Malick’s Knight of Cups, which is an intriguing choice as it evokes a similar vibe.

Parthenope and Naples are complex and unpredictable

What I liked most about this movie is how the characters are unfiltered. There aren’t many façades, and people seem to accept each other in their entirety, almost like a society that has embraced the Jungian shadow.

This can be both a positive and negative aspect, as it can sometimes lead to decadence. For instance, Parthenope, in addition to being exceptionally beautiful, is also open-minded and intelligent. However, this openness extends to taboos, such as incest, or at least a forbidden desire for her own brother.

Another highly controversial scene is the one with the cardinal, which critiques organized religion and power, as well as the ambivalent nature of humanity. Naples is known for its corruption perhaps this is a representation of the true hidden nature of men.

Freedom and freewill

Parthenope seems to be the type of character Dostoevsky would describe as someone who generates chaos just to feel alive and exercise her free will. Perhaps to an extreme, as seen in her decision to remain childless, but who are we to judge? To be honest, her beauty already generates enough chaos wherever she goes.

Being a woman comes with its own form of conformity and expectations. Perhaps as an existential need Parthenope chose her own path.

There appears to be a clear conflict between morality and the desire to stay authentic, which is something many people can relate to in today’s globalized and standardized society.

The first part of the movie portrays this eloquently, as the night Parthenope, her brother, and her boyfriend embarked on an adventure, experiencing a form of freedom that felt truly alive. However, by the end, this freedom perhaps reached an extreme, leading to severe consequences.

The limitations of beauty

As I mentioned in my previous article, extreme beauty comes with both numerous privileges and high expectations, as well as judgments. The scene where Parthenope rejects the wealthy man flaunting his helicopter, only for him to label her “not smart,” perfectly exemplifies the type of judgment that often accompanies great beauty.

Perhaps this judgment sparks insecurity and fosters a strong drive to prove others wrong, which she eventually accomplishes by becoming the director of a school and confirmed anthropologist. At one point, the “Admiral” tells her that she never exploited her beauty, which is intriguing, because while she used her charm, she never, for instance, attempted to marry into power or wealth although she seems to come from a wealthy family—aside from the controversial scene.

In a way, she embraces a masculine role in how she leads her life, having to earn most of what she has making her a strong, free and independent character.

The Power of Words: Control, Identity, and Performance

Parthenope’s habit of preparing phrases in advance symbolizes her need for control and her awareness of how she is perceived. In a world where she is constantly judged—whether for her beauty, intelligence, or choices—crafting the right words becomes a way to assert herself and navigate complex social dynamics.

This also speaks to a deeper existential theme in Parthenope: the tension between authenticity and performance. Despite her free-spirited nature, she understands that words shape reality, and by anticipating conversations, she ensures she is not merely reacting to the world but actively shaping her place in it. This represents an initial path towards a conformist career as an actress, abandoned in favor of a career as an anthropologist.

It could also be seen as a defense mechanism. By planning her words, she shields herself from vulnerability, ensuring she always appears composed, even when facing uncomfortable or morally ambiguous situations. This aligns with the film’s broader exploration of self-awareness, identity, and the fine line between spontaneity and calculation in human relationships.

The power of sexuality

Extreme feminine beauty is inherently tied to desire, sexuality perhaps even objectification, a theme the film explores without delving into related subjects such as violence.

Gary Oldman, who appears in the film as a novelist, is perhaps the only man not drawn to Parthenope romantically, as he prefers men.

The film also steers clear of another reality—women’s jealousy, which can often be ruthless. In this world, people appear unusually open-minded and well-mannered, which doesn’t entirely align with real life and the themes present in the movie Malèna.

The beauty of life

The beauty of freedom and youth is deeply felt in this movie. For some reason, it reminds me of the kind of life older people often wish they had lived—a life free from moral constraints, full of authenticity and spontaneity. A life where money and survival are not concerns, for instance.

Like many of Sorrentino’s films, there are surreal elements, but they are always grounded within the story. For example, after the elderly actress enters a rant and essentially speaks Naples’s home truths—which Parthenope understands and feels compassionate about—she leaves with a stranger, who turns out to be a mob leader responsible for the welfare of citizens in a poor area, causing discomfort for Parthenope.

The scene then shifts to a strange mob family breeding ceremony, which feels both surreal and unsettling. This may be the director’s way of expressing his perspective on this tribal aspect of the culture without ever judging. Once again, after having sex with the mob leader, Parthenope appears to place no real value on her personal relationships, which ultimately leads perhaps to an abortion. This is perhaps the issue with moral ambiguity, which ultimately leads to decay which is perhaps the ultimate cost of freedom.

The unspoken pain and generational disillusionment

Her relationship with the teacher is perhaps the only one that feels truly healthy and normal. It’s also the one that resonated with me the most.

The son of the teacher in Parthenope symbolizes the weight of unspoken pain and generational disillusionment. His character reflects the consequences of a society where authenticity and freedom often clash with deep existential voids. His tragic fate—whether through isolation, despair, or even self-destruction—seems to serve as a counterpoint to Parthenope’s own pursuit of self-determination.

I won’t judge you as long as you won’t judge me

In Parthenope, avoiding judgment allows individuals to embrace their authenticity without the fear of societal constraints. It gives them the freedom to explore their desires, dreams, and experiences, fostering deep connections and an authentic appreciation of life.

Truly experiencing beauty requires shedding the filters of judgment and societal expectations, allowing us to perceive the world as it is: raw, spontaneous, and authentic. By letting go of our judgments, we open ourselves to a more immersive and fluid experience, where beauty is a subjective feeling that resonates deeply with our true selves. This famous gray, a mix of white and black, embraced.

True Freedom: Liberation or Moral Decay?

If freedom is understood as absolute individual autonomy without responsibility, then yes, it can lead to moral decay—where self-interest overrides ethical considerations. However, if true freedom includes self-mastery, moral responsibility, and the ability to act according to higher values rather than mere impulse, then it does not necessitate moral decline.

Many philosophies, from existentialism to classical liberalism, argue that freedom is meaningful only when coupled with personal responsibility. Without an internal moral compass, unrestricted freedom risks devolving into nihilism or hedonism. But when guided by principles, true freedom can lead to higher forms of self-actualization and moral excellence.

The original soundtrack

The film’s soundtrack is simply splendid. A blend of classical music and jazz, with three tracks that I find particularly sublime in their own style: Bluebird by Luke Howard & Nadje Noordhuis and II, The Mistral Noir, The Lighthouse by Daniel Herskeda and Warmth by Peter Gregson.

Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” is also featured in the movie, further emphasizing the theme of autonomy and freedom.

Conclusion

Parthenope and Naples, though I’ve never visited the city, seem to embody a strong ambivalence—where extreme beauty coexists with a sense of decay, intertwined with moral ambiguity. Sorrentino presents a world where freedom and indulgence blur the lines between authenticity and corruption, leaving us to question whether true beauty can exist without some degree of moral compromise.

The film does not seek to provide clear answers but rather immerses us in a universe where desire, power, and personal agency constantly collide. Parthenope herself embodies this duality—free-spirited and deeply intelligent, yet drawn toward experiences that test the limits of morality and social norms. Her journey reflects a broader meditation on identity, choice, and the consequences of living without restraint.

Ultimately, Parthenope is not just a film about a woman or even a city; it is a reflection on the human condition—our need for both structure and freedom, our pursuit of beauty, and our struggle to define our own morality in a world that often offers no clear guidance.