The Hand of God
NETFLIXSeeking solace in a hobby whilst in the throes of a tragedy is a human condition. The Hand of God expresses such a tone with all the desired effects. It is personal and believable. Director Paolo Sorrentino is a craftsman who can take the unbelievable, whether it be the appointment of a young and pious Pope or the dissection of what makes music’s longevity so appealing. He has tackled both in The Young Pope and This Must Be the Place respectively, and The Hand of God is another offering as strong as those previous projects. Lavish scenery plays an important backdrop to characters with identifiable and relatable dreams that may be shattered by tragedies out of their control.
Dreams must be easier to hold when the surroundings are so beautiful. Set to the backdrop of Naples, The Hand of God benefits greatly not just from the gorgeous streets and slow-panning camera Sorrentino so often applies to those in and out of conflict, but from the dreams and aspirations these characters hold. A 1980s iconography shines through with great effect. Flowery tiles in a kitchen where mother and son discuss the failings of immediate relatives. Conflict is at the heart of this dynamic, even if it is not the dispute either party can solve. These are dynamics and slow-burning character studies that were featured so well in Sorrentino’s Youth, another feature in his filmography that relies on taking in an audience with a spectrum of details. The reward is figuring out the notations of truthful storytelling and the beckoning emotion within it.
There is plenty of emotion within The Hand of God. Impressive it is to see Sorrentino adapt these characters and their emotions, what is even better still is how quick an audience can take to the family dynamic. Perspectives on love and relationships are offered with genuine care and variety. He is Federico Fellini-like once again. That is by no means a disparage against the strong work these extreme close-ups and back-and-forth character dynamics present. Impersonation is the sincerest form of flattery. Sorrentino is lucky enough to have unique talents to blend within this feature that relies so heavily on those knowing glances to the camera and the colourful perspectives available in each scene. What he does best of all though is rattle the characters and the audiences. He implies strongly and frequently that audiences should not be so secure in what they know, for the characters are just as clueless.
Painful it may be for an English audience to see that infamous Hand of God goal from Maradona in the World Cup quarter-final, The Hand of God is an inevitably fascinating piece from Sorrentino. Nowhere is it better than in its contemplative hustle and bustle of a large and vibrant city. Cars queue up and honk their horns, women wait at the side of the road. Life is very much a standstill for those that do not pursue it. Opportunity presents itself to everyone, Sorrentino says with The Hand of God, but only those that grasp it will appreciate the hard struggle to the top. Effective cinematography, a core message that feels optimistic and idyllic thanks to the structure of the scenes that hold this goodness in it, and The Hand of God plants itself firmly as yet another strong Sorrentino project.