Youth
A reflective, visually sumptuous meditation on aging, creativity, and the fleeting nature of glory. Set at a luxurious Alpine spa, two lifelong friends — a retired composer and a legendary filmmaker — contemplate their past achievements and future irrelevance while surrounded by eccentric guests, surreal visions, and unexpected emotional revelations. Funny, wistful, and dreamlike, it's a film about life’s second act and the art of letting go.
DIRECTOR
Paolo Sorrentino
Actors
2h 4m • Rated M • Drama, Comedy • Italy/UK/Switzerland/France (2015)
Michael Caine • Harvey Keitel • Rachel Weisz • Paul Dano • Jane Fonda
Reviewers note the film’s hypnotic pace and painterly compositions — sweeping landscapes, slow dances of camera movement, and surreal musical interludes. Some find its symbolism heavy-handed and indulgent in moments, but others argue that its emotional generosity and visual poetry transcend those flourishes.
Ultimately, Youth is seen as a tender, philosophical work: an ode to time, memory, and the delicate balance between pride and acceptance. For audiences open to its quiet rhythm and introspective tone, it’s deeply moving and quietly triumphant — a film that lingers like a beautiful half-remembered dream.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
Melancholic, stylish, and deeply humane
Critics praise Sorrentino’s signature blend of operatic beauty and sly humour, calling Youth an elegant contemplation tinged with absurdity. Michael Caine is regarded as quietly magnificent, his performance mixing dignity, regret, and warmth, while Harvey Keitel offers a vulnerable counterpoint as a filmmaker haunted by legacy and unfinished dreams. Jane Fonda’s sharp, scene-stealing cameo is frequently singled out.