Toni Servillo in 'La Grazia.' Venice Film Festival Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment The first thing to be said about Paolo Sorrentino's captivating portrait of an esteemed political leader in the waning days of his term is that Toni Servillo really is some kind of marvel. The great theater actor who transitioned into film with instant command has been a talismanic presence in the director's work since his 2001 debut. Sorrentino hands him a jewel of a role in Mariano De Santis, a fictional president of the Italian Republic who describes himself as "a gray, boring man, a man of the law," instead revealed to be a wellspring of deep feeling, humanity and - to his own surprise - doubt. Related Stories Movies Francis Ford Coppola, at First Red Carpet Since Heart Procedure, Gets Round of Applause From Photographers Movies 'Mother' Review: A Magnetic Noomi Rapace Plays Young Mother Teresa in a Stylistically Spiky Period Piece Sorrentino depicted disgraced real-life Italian politician Giulio Andreotti, again played by Servillo, in 2009's Il Divo. The right-leaning seven-time prime minister allegedly linked to countless political assassinations, faked suicides and kickbacks that fed his Christian Democratic party's decades-long stranglehold on government received operatic treatment, splashed with bold directorial strokes that recalled Fellini, Scorsese and Coppola. La Grazia The Bottom Line The alchemical ideal in actor-director collaborations. Venue: Venice Film Festival (Competition)Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Ferzetti, Orlando Cinque, Massimo Venturiello, Milvia Marigliano, Giuseppe Gaiani, Giovanna Guida, Alessia Giuliani, Roberto Zibetti, Vasco Mirandola, Linda Messerklinger, Rufin Doh ZeyenouinDirector-screenwriter: Paolo Sorrentino 2 hours 13 minutes With La Grazia, Sorrentino makes the almost radical and these days original choice of imagining a basically honest man of integrity, fiercely intelligent and principled but quietly needled by ethical uncertainties over choices he faces during his final days in office, along with complicated personal history. The absence of corruption, scandal, self-dealing and cronyism makes this a revitalizing break from real-world concerns, without in any way veering into sappy idealism. The reflections on power, influence and the weight of the past are unquestionably relevant. By the director's standards, this is a sober and distinctly mature film, centered by the unwavering composure of Servillo's De Santis. But it's not without the customary creative arias, the witty humor and visual delights that have distinguished Sorrentino's best work. Incongruously accompanied by a pumping techno beat (like a tennis match from Challengers), opening screen text outlines some of the responsibilities of an Italian president. Those include promulgating legislation, appointing state officials, presiding over the High Council of the Judiciary, granting pardons, commuting sentences and bestowing honors. De Santis' countenance is generally as unyielding as the historic Palazzo del Quirinale, the official residence of Italian presidents, its elegant exterior concealing majestic halls, grand staircases, a vast chapel and an arcaded courtyard. But Servillo's characterization allows for subtle hints of the man's vanity - like an almost imperceptible flicker in his eyes as yet another fawning politician praises his ability to endure six government crises and turn the country around from the disastrous state it was left in by the previous, imbecilic administration. He seems unsure whether to be tickled or bruised when he discovers his nickname is "Reinforced Concrete." With just six months left in his term, the former judge's duties have decelerated to the point where one of the proposed items on his daily calendar is an interview with the editor of Vogue Italia about his sartorial choices. But three pressing matters occupy thick folders on his desk. One is a law to legalize euthanasia, which has wide support, including from his daughter Dorotea (Anna Ferzetti), a formidable jurisprudence scholar herself. "If I don't sign, I'm a torturer. If I sign, I'm a murderer," says De Santis, anticipating the public outcry. The others are requests for pardons, one for Cristiano Arpa (Vasco Mirandola), a history teacher beloved by generations of students in his town, who killed his wife when she reached the advanced stages of Alzheimer's. The other is Isa Rocca (Linda Messerklinger), a young woman convicted of murdering her husband in his sleep. Rocca's name was put forward by Mariano's lifelong friend Ugo (Massimo Venturiello), who is angling to succeed him as president. With full disclosure, he informs De Santis that Rocca is the niece of his current partner, though the circumstances of her case merit closer examination. Sorrentino's sc