The Great Beauty (2013)
Kernel Score: 85% · 3,281 ratings
Genres: Drama
Released: 2013-05-21
Runtime: 142 minutes
Is The Great Beauty worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A Roman writer looks back on a life of parties and empty glamour in Sorrentino's lavish, dreamy, slow film. It's visually spectacular and melancholy, but it has little plot and some viewers find it self-indulgent.
Watch it if you
- love beautiful, Fellini-style cinema
- enjoy a reflective, wandering mood
- like Italian art-house films
Skip it if you
- need a clear plot
- dislike subtitles and slow pacing
Best for: Art-house night in
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch The Great Beauty
- Stream: HBO Max
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Jep Gambardella has seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades, but after his 65th birthday and a shock from the past, Jep looks past the nightclubs and parties to find a timeless landscape of absurd, exquisite beauty.
The Great Beauty parents' guide: ages 15+
Parents need to know that The Great Beauty is an art-house drama depicting decadent nightlife in Rome, including drug use, alcohol, and adult themes.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: Strong — Depicts lavish nightclub parties with drinking and drug use as part of a decadent lifestyle.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Great Beauty
If you liked The Great Beauty, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Il Divo (2008) — 86%: Sorrentino's sleek, stylised portrait of a powerful Italian figure
- The Consequences of Love (2004) — 83%: Sorrentino's cool, precise film about a lonely man
- The Hand of God (2021) — 83%: Sorrentino's more personal, autobiographical Naples story
- Death in Venice (1971) — 81%: Slow, elegiac film about beauty, ageing and Venice
- Rome, Open City (1945) — 88%: Classic Italian drama of the post-war city
- Bicycle Thieves (1948) — 89%: Landmark Italian drama of poverty and dignity
Director
Cast
- Toni Servillo as Jep Gambardella
- Carlo Verdone as Romano
- Sabrina Ferilli as Ramona
- Carlo Buccirosso as Lello Cava
- Iaia Forte as Trumeau
- Pamela Villoresi as Viola
- Galatea Ranzi as Stefania
- Franco Graziosi as Conte Colonna
- Sonia Gessner as Contessa Colonna
- Giorgio Pasotti as Stefano
The Great Beauty FAQ
Is The Great Beauty worth watching?
Depends on your taste. A Roman writer looks back on a life of parties and empty glamour in Sorrentino's lavish, dreamy, slow film. It's visually spectacular and melancholy, but it has little plot and some viewers find it self-indulgent.
Where can I watch The Great Beauty?
In the US you can stream The Great Beauty on HBO Max and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Great Beauty OK for kids?
Fresh Kernels suggests ages 15+. Parents need to know that The Great Beauty is an art-house drama depicting decadent nightlife in Rome, including drug use, alcohol, and adult themes.
What movies are like The Great Beauty?
If you liked The Great Beauty, try Il Divo, The Consequences of Love, The Hand of God and Death in Venice.