The Great Beauty

Is Felliniesque a real word?  Many critiques have compared The Great Beauty to Fellini, but given my limited knowledge of Fellini’s films I will not be one of them.

I understand what the Great Beauty is, by what it is not. It is not Cinema Paradiso, ILPostino or Malena. These films have directness, transparency and familiarity. They are as sophisticated and rich as the Great Beauty but their feet are on the ground.

The Great Beauty mocks superficialness. Jep (Tony Servillo) who is a successful upper class journalist lives life without attachments; no wife or children.  He goes to bed in the morning rises in the afternoon and in the evening goes to baccnal parties with blaring techno music and frenetic dancing by over aged people who should know better. Good life right? So why does he look unsatisfied? His life is filled with emptiness. At a point in life you look over your shoulder to see life lived, and at sixty five Jep hopes he sees something worthwhile.

He mocks members of his own class. For most of the film he wears a mask of disdain and when he laughs it is not clear if it is at others or himself. He carries himself with glib casualness. His loneliness is evident when he asks a magician to make him disappear. The closest he comes to a familial setting is sharing a bowl of soup at night in his boss’s office who is a female dwarf (Felliniesgue?). He also reflects on a love lost. This is a guy who you assume had copious conquests but he still fondly remembers a bare breasted beauty fifty years ago.

The film does not specifically identify the Great Beauty. Another wonderful Italian film gives some hint, Life is Beautiful.  Life is beautiful and full by loved ones and family.  Unfelliniesque, yes?