By Mark Saldana
Rating: 3.5 (Out of 4 Stars)
From acclaimed Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, comes a film that very well feels like a very personal fictionalized depiction of the filmmaker’s life during his teen years. Much like Roma does for Mexican director Alfonso Cuaron and Belfast is to Irish filmmaker Kenneth Branagh, The Hand of God is a slice of life film that recreates a particular era that had a huge impact on the future of Sorrentino. Through his protagonist Fabietto, the writer/director gives an intimate glimpse into the stressful, uncertain, and awkward emotions that the filmmaker experienced as a teenager in 1980s Italy. The movie is a compelling an fascinating piece that reveals the types of events which ultimately shaped who the man Sorrentino has become.
During the 1980s, Fabietto Schizo (Filippo Scotti) lives with his loving and passionate family in Naples. Initially, it seems that his life with his family is rather enjoyable and somewhat comfortable, despite the occassional drama of their relatives. Often spending time with their extended family, Fabietto bonds with his aunts, uncles and cousins, and often is amused or intrigued with the troubles they have. As he matures and becomes more aware of his parents’ flaws and weaknesses, thing become less certain and more unpredicatable for the impressionable teen which certainly add to pains of growing up.
As I watched this movie, I found myself captivated and intrigued with the story of this family. Writer/director Sorrentino does a mostly outstanding job of realizing and painting this portrait which feels as organic and real as any family one would encounter in real life. Even though, the movie takes place in Italy and there are some obvvious cultural differences from that of families in any other country, Sorrentino cuts to the hearts and souls of his characters and makes their journeys relevant and relatable to his audiences.
Sorrentino and his actors have the talent to give their scenes dimension and tangibility. This is what makes this film work so well, as it does for Cuaron’s Roma and Branagh’s Belfast. Now I know a lot of filmmakers use their medium to tell their personal stories, but I feel that Sorrentino is holding back a little and his restraint in revealing everything is what holds me back from giving this movie my highest rating.
That said; I still genuinely love what he has shared through this movie. There are moments a genuine, real-life comedy, drama, discomfiture, and craziness with which most people can relate. The entire cast delivers outstanding work with Filippo Scotti giving a subtle and perfectly nuianced performance as protagonist Fabietto. I was also particularly impressed with the work of actor Luisa Ranieri who stars as Fabietto’s Aunt Patrizia, a woman in a loveless and abusive marriage.
The Hand of God is currently playing in select theaters and is now available for streaming on Netflix. Though I probably won’t select it as my choice for Best International Feature, it is definitely a compelling and satisfying movie worth watching.