Review by gloria wong

Paolo Sorrentino's much-lauded Il Divo is an intense but oddly funny political biography of seven-time Prime Minister of Italy Giulio Andreotti, the last major leader of the centrist Christian Democrats. Andreotti's career and his party imploded in the 1990's amid accusations (and trials, convictions, appeals and eventual acquittals) of Mafia collusion, media suppression and murder.

It's all juicy stuff - as one might expect from a country where religion and politics are such close bedfellows. And the icing on the cake? Andreotti himself - a colourful character who was well known for his stone-faced wit, bravado and eccentricity. With a powerful, centering performance from its star Toni Servillo, Il Divo is a hugely ambitious and mostly successful portrait of corruption in the halls of power - which should give us all something to stay up at night, pace the halls and think about.

Il Divo
Paolo Sorrentino | Italy | 2008 | 117min

Fri. Sept. 26 | 1:00pm | Empire Granville Theatre 7
Wed. Oct. 1 | 9:30pm | Empire Granville Theatre 7
Fri. Oct. 3 | 10:00am | Empire Granville Theatre 7