Is Paolo Sorrentino’s The Great Beauty a masterpiece or a portrait of Italian decline?

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Paolo Sorrentino’s 2013 film The Great Beauty follows a jaded journalist navigating Rome’s superficial social elite. While international audiences hailed it as a dazzling, Oscar-winning triumph, Italian critics remain deeply divided. Is it a profound meditation on human existence, or a cynical, self-indulgent stereotype of a nation in decay?

The film centers on Jep Gambardella, a 65-year-old theater critic and socialite who has not written a book since his youth. Amidst the backdrop of Rome’s historic beauty, Jep observes the hollow lives of his friends—a playwright exploited by a younger woman, a wealthy toy seller, and a radical chic writer. Following the news of his first love’s death, Jep begins a melancholic reinterpretation of his life, eventually finding a glimmer of hope while reporting on the Costa Concordia shipwreck.

International reception has been overwhelmingly positive, with the film winning Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards, the Golden Globe, and the BAFTA. Critics often compare Sorrentino’s ambition to Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, suggesting he captures the moral chaos of the Berlusconi era just as Fellini captured the hedonism of his own time. In 2016, an international poll of 177 critics ranked it among the 100 greatest films since 2000.

However, domestic criticism in Italy has been harsh. Some journalists argue the film presents a resigned, non-credible version of Italy tailored to American expectations. Critics like Philippe Ridet have accused the film of celebrating national decadence, while others, such as Tiziano Peccia, defend it as a universal reflection on modern frenzy and shattered dreams. Peccia argues that dismissing the film as a limited picture of Italian issues is a form of provincialism, comparing the work to Petronius’s Satyricon as a broader critique of humanity rather than a specific regional portrait.

Ultimately, the film’s status remains contested. Whether viewed as an opulent, fragmentary tribute to Rome or a shameless display of directorial arrogance, its impact is undeniable. With a production budget of €9.2 million, it grossed over $24 million worldwide, proving that its exploration of beauty and emptiness resonates deeply with global audiences, even if it leaves its home country grappling with its own reflection.

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