Review of Youth (2015) by Tom K — 10 Dec 2015
Paolo Sorrentino understands the power of images. In opposition to the statuesque behavior of people, water moves when it should be still; lines are crossed to form other lines or, better yet, other shapes; and then, of course, there's the intangible, the visual absurdity of what is being depicted.
These elements made La Grande Belezza an unexpected masterwork and are again present in the director's understanding of youth, not as a physical concept, but as an identity, a rebirth of values and norms.
It's that willingness to explore what's rarely said on screen - usually disguised as a metaphor instead - that brings to Youth what it most needs: life. From the young to the old, everyone has something to learn.
To teach too. In the end, however, it is not about the content as much as it is about perception. And that can only be understood by the individual. That's exactly what Sorrentino suggests, that to understand is to perceive, and to perceive is to have a flawed vision of truth.
What remains then? Communication, not only verbal but mostly sensorial. Film can evoke all, and Sorrentino's Youth does, with sophistication and a clear vision of what's important in life.
This review of Youth (2015) was written by Tom K on 10 Dec 2015.
Youth has generally received positive reviews.
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