Youth

First and foremost, it is a fantastic performance by the three actors in the main roles, although Rachel is slightly overshadowed by the two acting legends. It's as if Michael Caine is playing himself a little, with so much strength even in his eighties, and as if he has no health flaws at all. Both of them are capable of carrying the whole film with ease, and Sorrentino adds style and visual beauty to it. And yes, Switzerland plays a big part as well. (13/11/2015)

Sorrentino’s meditation is all the more pleasant for being formally modest. Set in a soothing, slowly flowing atmosphere of nature, recited by a wonderful acting lineup, Youth is a thread of life metaphors, some of which will delight by hitting the bull’s eye, while others ring of empty but playful intellectualism. I felt respect for the age-old wisdom of the two main characters, and I enjoyed my time with them. And the mature, wounded Rachel Weisz has her charms. (14/10/2015)

Youth is an audiovisually opulent and superbly acted reflection on old age and youth that is both comic and tragic, with both opposites always used appropriately and effectively. The story is set in a seemingly ordinary spa, but inhabited by a variety of characters who can both make you laugh and move you with their behaviour and speeches. I really liked the beautifully colourful shots of nature and the overall camera work, which flirted with the people and objects around it. In addition to the captivating imagery, I was carried away on the film's enchanting musical score, which was impossible to ignore and perfectly completed the atmosphere of each scene. Each of the characters had something of their own story to tell, so I could hardly say which one captivated me the most. An artfully made film that could be considered a metaphor for life, as there are moments that make you smile as well as sad. (24/01/2016)

"What are you doing now?" - "They told me I was apathetic. So I do nothing." Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel excel in a pleasantly melancholic drama full of beautiful images and great music. I haven't seen anything by Paolo Sorrentino yet, so you can probably imagine how excited I was by the visuals. Extremely. The only thing I can and must criticize is the excessive length, because somewhere in the third third the film really started to put me to sleep. But that's all.___P.S. The scene with Michael Caine conducting a herd of cows immediately became one of my favorite scenes from all his films. (20/10/2015)

No, Paolo. Once again, it is a cold terrarium full of strangely academized reptiles. And the orchestra just doesn't sound loud, only unglued, as if each section is playing a different song. I was a big fan of it, and after seeing The Great Beauty, I appreciate the greater relaxation of the tone in places and the tendency toward absurdity, but overall it feels similarly weighted and unconvincing. In addition, Sorrentino is increasingly successfully colonizing the hard-to-imagine territory between a folk comedy full of truth and snobbish "art", which in places becomes quite unbearable. Back to the small things, please. (10/07/2015)