Parthenope: Paolo Sorrentino’s film tells the story of a Napoli woman, following her over the decades through her youth and beyond. The film is sweet, nostalgic, and melancholic; the narrative may be a bit loose, but its mood and love for the city make this an interesting and emotional journey. Celeste Dalla Porta plays the painfully beautiful woman, intelligent and intriguing, because she wants to be seen as anything but that; the performance relies on mixing her luminous smile with her sad eyes, which works. Gary Oldman (as a soused up writer), Silvio Orlando (as a college teacher that mentors the protagonist), and Peppe Lanzetta (as a cardinal) have short but fine presence. Director of photography Daria D’Antonio’s camerawork is dynamic and elegant, capturing the beauty of the character and the locale. Costume designer Carlo Poggioli accentuates the character’s attractiveness with choice dresses and swimsuits.