'Parthenope' is Paolo Sorrentino's eccentric film, debuting with striking imagery and a fractured narrative spanning over 70 years. It follows the life of Parthenope, a character inspired by the myth of a siren, emblematic of Naples’ contradictions. While it attempts to celebrate the city's essence—its beauty, decay, and the religious hypocrisy ingrained in its culture—the film’s convoluted storytelling often leads to feelings of confusion rather than clarity, creating a surreal experience fraught with ambiguity about freedom and identity.
"Beginning with Parthenope's birth in 1950 - in the waters of the bay itself - and stretching to 2023, when the septuagenarian is retiring from an academic career, 'Parthenope' is as tedious to synopsize as it is confounding to fathom."
"If 'Parthenope' is a love letter to his hometown and its subject an embodiment of the city's idiosyncrasies and contradictions - beauty and decay, religion and hypocrisy - the whole thing comes across like a deranged mash note."
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