La Grande Bellezza is a perfectly produced tragicomedy of the high class society of Rome. But the high class society over 50 years old.

Journalist Jep Gambardella has been a part of this world for decades and like he says in the beginning :

‘When I came to Rome at 26 years old, I fell pretty swiftly, almost without realizing it, into what might be defined as the whirl of the night life. But I didn’t just want to live the high life. I wanted to become its king. I didn’t just want to go to parties. I wanted to have the power to make them a failure.

Toni Servillo plays a perfect role as Jeb Gambardella. He enters the skin of the character perfectly and almost makes you love him, although at a first sight he might be considered an old man who forgets his age and behaves like someone in his 20’s. But no, this man is complex, smart and charming, who has his ups and downs, who suffers and is happy.

Paolo Sorrentino manages to create a very credible world. Showing the beauties of Rome as a city, but showing its people, the rich ones (or rich want-to-be). It’s a world of drugs, sex and rock-and-roll, just to use a cliche.