---
title: "The Hand of God"
year: 2021
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-hand-of-god"
fi1m_id: "the-hand-of-god"
imdb_id: "tt12680684"
tmdb_id: 722778
wikidata_id: "Q104856751"
fi1m_score: 75
critics_score: 66
critics_reviews: 24
published: "2026-10-03T02:26:58.813709+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T02:26:59.189699+00:00"
region: "SA"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Hand of God (2021)

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino · 2h 10m · Drama

## Identity

The Hand of God

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/the-hand-of-god
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** the-hand-of-god
- **IMDb ID:** tt12680684
- **TMDB ID:** 722778
- **Wikidata ID:** Q104856751
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12680684/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/722778, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104856751

**Fi1m score: 75** · Critics 66 from 24 reviews

*In a sentence:* We would happily stay for another family lunch, even if growing up has to wait

> Paolo Sorrentino’s coming-of-age drama is warm, funny and worth an evening for its family alone. Its later passages drift, and the women deserve more attention than the boy’s sexual curiosity allows.

## Synopsis

In 1980s Naples, Fabietto Schisa (Filippo Scotti) grows up surrounded by relatives, football and an increasing curiosity about sex. Saverio Schisa (Toni Servillo) and Maria Schisa (Teresa Saponangelo) preside over a family whose affection does not prevent its quarrels. Patrizia (Luisa Ranieri) draws the boy’s attention, while a crowded family lunch brings the relatives’ competing personalities together. Fabietto wants to find his own place among the adults, but their tensions and distractions often leave him watching rather than participating. Between family life and the possibilities of cinema, he begins to look beyond the world he knows.

## Review

Paolo Sorrentino’s *The Hand of God* is worth seeing for the company it keeps, especially when the family gathers and the boy at its centre has little to say. This partly fictionalised memoir follows Fabietto Schisa through adolescence in 1980s Naples, with football, sexual curiosity and cinema competing for his attention. It is funny and affecting, although its later episodes do not justify all of their time. The family gives the film enough warmth to survive some increasingly aimless passages.

Filippo Scotti gives Fabietto Schisa a watchfulness that suits a boy still working out what the adults around him mean. His relative quiet allows the family to be funny without turning every exchange into a competition between performances. There is a limit to this approach: we sometimes need a stronger sense of what he wants. For much of the film, though, watching him take an interest in other people is absorbing enough.

Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo, as Saverio Schisa and Maria Schisa, supply the comic ease that makes the household convincing. They make affection credible even when the relatives are being difficult. We laughed at the crowded family lunch, then found ourselves reluctant to leave it. The actors’ timing makes the gathering pleasurable; its untidy mixture of warmth and embarrassment makes it familiar.

Daria D’Antonio’s cinematography makes sunlit Naples feel like a place someone would keep returning to in memory. The views have a sensual pleasure of their own, without making the people seem incidental. Carmine Guarino’s production design is effective because the family seems at home in it. The crowded lunch is the useful test: we notice how people occupy the space before we notice the space itself. The 1980s setting never has to become a display of period possessions.

The difficulty is that the women do not always receive such patient attention. Patrizia, played by Luisa Ranieri, is too often presented through the boy’s sexual curiosity, and the film does too little to question that view. Remembering adolescence does not oblige a director to keep seeing everyone as he did then. Teresa Saponangelo’s performance suggests how much richer the film can be when a woman is allowed to be funny, troublesome and ordinary.

Cristiano Travaglioli’s editing is at its most assured in the family passages, where a succession of personalities gives the film momentum. Later, the episodes feel less closely connected, and people who seemed important are left with too little to do. Lele Marchitelli’s music is sympathetic to the film’s tenderness, but cannot supply the continuity that these stretches need. At 130 minutes, there is room to develop these people further, and the decision to let some of them recede feels wasteful.

Coming-of-age films can be too quick to make every encounter a lesson for their young hero. Here, the relatives are often interesting enough to make us forget that someone is meant to be learning from them. That is when Paolo Sorrentino’s affection is most convincing, and when his film least needs to explain itself. Choose it for an evening when a difficult family sounds like good company and a tightly plotted story can wait.

*Fi1m score 75, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to The Hand of God, praising Sorrentino’s personal account of growing up and its vivid evocation of Naples. The strongest agreement concerns the crowded family scenes: their comic timing, eccentric characters and affectionate observation give the film much of its life. Filippo Scotti’s performance also draws praise, alongside the sunlit imagery. Admirers find the movement between humour and sorrow affecting, and welcome a degree of restraint in Sorrentino’s filmmaking.

The spread of opinion is wide, however, with reservations clustering around the less focused second half, uneven emotional impact and treatment of women. Some critics see self-indulgence where others find candour. The AV Club admires the family chemistry but objects to the passive central character and sometimes retrograde attitudes. Variety is more sharply dismissive, finding the drama overstated and the characterisation weak, despite recognising raw emotional power in an individual scene.

## Straight answers

**Is The Hand of God worth watching?**

*The Hand of God* is worth watching for its funny, affectionate family scenes, and we score it 75 out of 100. We recommend it for an evening when engaging company matters more than a tightly plotted story, though the later passages drift and the women deserve fuller attention beyond the boy’s sexual curiosity.

**How long is The Hand of God, and what is it rated?**

*The Hand of God* runs 2h 10m. It is a drama film.

**Where can I watch The Hand of God in Saudi Arabia?**

*The Hand of God* is not on any streaming or rental service in Saudi Arabia at the moment. It is available in 56 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How violent or frightening is The Hand of God, and is it suitable for children?**

*The Hand of God* has a UK 15 certificate and is not suitable for children under 15. Its adolescent story includes sexual curiosity, making it a choice for older teenagers and adults rather than family viewing. The certificate alone does not establish how violent or frightening it is, and we cannot give a more specific warning about those elements.

**How does The Hand of God compare to Amarcord?**

*The Hand of God* shares [*Amarcord*](https://film.one/film/amarcord)’s remembered Italian adolescence, sexual curiosity and family embarrassment, but we find *Amarcord*’s wandering more rewarding. We recommend *The Hand of God* particularly for its family gatherings, while *Amarcord* offers the broader company of a crowded town. Both have limitations in their treatment of women: a boy’s narrow attention in one, tiresome jokes in the other.

**What should I watch after The Hand of God?**

After *The Hand of God*, try [*Amarcord*](https://film.one/film/amarcord) (1973, Fi1m 82): Another Italian adolescence remembered through unruly neighbours, sexual curiosity and family embarrassment. Then [*Fanny and Alexander*](https://film.one/film/fanny-and-alexander) (1982, Fi1m 92): For a larger family gathering, with warmth, cruelty and carefully observed domestic rituals; and [*A Brighter Summer Day*](https://film.one/film/a-brighter-summer-day) (1991, Fi1m 90): A harsher Taiwanese adolescence, with family pressures and youthful longing given patient attention.

### Reviews we read (24)

- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (90/100, inferred): Rooney finds the film a deeply personal and emotionally resonant coming-of-age story. He particularly praises its warm, sharply observed family scenes and Filippo Scotti’s affecting performance. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/paolo-sorrentinos-the-hand-of-god-review-1235005130/)
- **Vulture**, Bilge Ebiri (85/100, inferred): Ebiri finds the film a captivating, melancholy portrait of how tragedy helps shape Sorrentino into an artist. He praises its unsanitized depiction of family life and its sense of beauty as a force that can help save broken lives. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/movie-review-netflixs-the-hand-of-god.html)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B+): Ehrlich calls the film Sorrentino’s most personal and best, praising how its relative restraint brings the coexistence of joy and tragedy into focus. He notes that the second half leaves important characters dangling, though its final image captures the film’s wistful promise. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-hand-of-god-review-paolo-sorrentino-netflix-1234660620/)
- **Radio Times**, Trevor Johnston (4/5): The critic presents it as an engaging, unpredictable coming-of-age story. He highlights Fabietto’s exposure to family tensions, sexual temptation and the magic of moviemaking. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-8c67jd/the-hand-of-god)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The review praises Sorrentino’s film as a hauntingly personal memoir of grief and growing up. It singles out the film’s blend of personal memory and maverick footballers as a Neapolitan gem. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-hand-of-god-2021)
- **The i Paper**, Geoffrey Macnab (78/100, inferred): Macnab finds the film a moving, lively coming-of-age story that avoids self-indulgence and nostalgia. He praises Sorrentino’s affectionate, vivid portrayal of Naples and its lost world. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/the-hand-of-god-review-a-darkly-emotional-journey-to-paolo-sorrentinos-youth-in-maradonas-naples-netflix-1331628)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (78/100, inferred): Lane finds “The Hand of God” tender and affecting, praising its vivid portrait of family life and memory. He singles out the sunlit views of Naples and the crowded family lunch for their power to inspire longing. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/12/06/licorice-pizza-is-paul-thomas-andersons-seventies-show)
- **Screen Daily**, Jonathan Romney (75/100, inferred): Romney finds Sorrentino’s memoir highly personal and vividly cinematic. He praises how fully the film breathes on the big screen. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-hand-of-god-venice-review/5162899.article)
- **Sight and Sound**, BFI (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a bittersweet, personal and somewhat fictionalised memoir. They praise its tragicomic view of family and the way it connects Fabietto’s coming of age with Sorrentino’s discovery of cinema. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/hand-god-leaves-viewers-sort-autobiography-from-fabrication)
- **Empire**, Alex Godfrey (72/100, inferred): Godfrey finds the film a charming, visually rich tribute to Sorrentino’s youth, though it is less emotionally forceful than it might be. He particularly praises its vivid evocation of 1980s Naples and its eccentric characters. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-hand-of-god/)
- **The AV Club**, Leila Latif (B-): Latif finds the film sporadically lovely, with vivid warmth and humor, but uneven and sometimes retrograde. She particularly praises the chemistry and comic timing of Fabietto’s family, while criticizing the film’s treatment of women and its passive central character. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/with-the-hand-of-god-the-director-of-the-great-beauty-1848135623)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The URL identifies this as a New York Times review of the 2021 film. The page is blocked, so its verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/14/movies/the-hand-of-god-review.html)
- **Slant Magazine**, William Repass (2.5/4): Repass finds the film an evocative, visually arresting love letter to Naples, though he criticizes its gratuitous sexualization of women. He particularly praises how the film’s images make miracles and tragedy feel inseparable. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-hand-of-god-review-paolo-sorrentino/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (60/100, inferred): Abele finds the film uneven but occasionally dazzling, with its personal memories and visual flair making a mixed impression. He praises the lively, eccentric family dynamics of the first half, while finding the later episodes less compelling. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-12-01/review-the-hand-of-god)
- **The Guardian**, Xan Brooks (60/100, inferred): Brooks finds the film vivid and bawdy, but feels its autobiographical closeness sometimes makes it adolescent and overly self-mythologizing. He singles out its raw, sun-blasted evocation of Naples and its delicious set pieces for praise. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/sep/02/the-hand-of-god-review-paolo-sorrentino)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (45/100, inferred): Jenkins finds the film frustratingly uneven, with its personal approach and spectacle often undermined by weak emotional impact. He praises its evocative portrayal of how sensory details lodge in memory. [Read](https://lwlies.com/festivals/the-hand-of-god-venice-film-festival-review)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (30/100, inferred): Gleiberman finds the film caught between nostalgic personal memory and broad, overstated drama, making it an uneven portrait. He praises the hospital scene for its raw emotional power, while criticizing the characterization and the film’s hamhanded approach. [Read](https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/the-hand-of-god-review-paolo-sorrentino-1235054390/)
- **RogerEbert.com** (20/100, inferred): The headline indicates a negative verdict, arguing that the film wastes its talented cast. It singles out the cast’s wasted potential as the central complaint. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/streaming/amazons-ugly-hand-of-god-wastes-talented-cast)
- **Paste**, Andy Crump (8.9/10): Crump calls the film Sorrentino’s best work to date, praising its clear-eyed, funny and poignant depiction of everyday life. He singles out Sorrentino’s craftsmanship and the film’s vivid observation of Fabietto’s family and world. [Read](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/netflix/the-hand-of-god-review)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): Hammond finds the film an enormously effective, touching memoir and a departure from Sorrentino’s usual style. He especially praises Filippo Scotti’s portrayal of Fabietto and Daria D’Antonia’s cinematography. [Read](https://deadline.com/2021/09/the-hand-of-god-venice-film-review-paolo-sorrentino-1234823794/)
- **HeyUGuys** (70/100, inferred): The review finds the film a deeply personal, visually beautiful coming-of-age story that gently sweeps viewers away. It praises Filippo Scotti’s performance and Sorrentino’s evocative portrayal of Naples, while noting the story lingers slightly too long. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/the-hand-of-god-review/)
- **The Skinny**, Rafaela Sales Ross (★★★): The review finds the film delightful in its first half but says it loses its way after turning toward tragedy. It praises the lively family dynamics, especially the writing and performances of the parents. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/lff-2021-the-hand-of-god)
- **Eye for Film**, Jennie Kermode (40/100, inferred): Kermode finds the film technically accomplished but self-indulgent, with uneven pacing and a style that sometimes overwhelms its story. She praises its beautiful imagery and the performances of Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-hand-of-god-2021-film-review-by-jennie-kermode)
- **The Wrap** (20/100, inferred): The critic finds Sorrentino’s autobiographical coming-of-age film inert, flat, and lacking a meaningful point of view. They fault its superficial portrayal of Aunt Patrizia and its unreflective gaze at the characters. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-hand-of-god-film-review-paolo-sorrentino-netflix/)

## Details

- **Director:** Paolo Sorrentino
- **Director:** Paolo Sorrentino
- **Screenplay:** Paolo Sorrentino
- **Cinematography:** Daria D'Antonio
- **Editor:** Cristiano Travaglioli
- **Music:** Lele Marchitelli
- **Production design:** Carmine Guarino
- **Costume design:** Mariano Tufano
- **Producer:** Paolo Sorrentino, Lorenzo Mieli
- **Cast:** Filippo Scotti as Fabietto Schisa; Toni Servillo as Saverio Schisa; Teresa Saponangelo as Maria Schisa; Luisa Ranieri as Patrizia; Marlon Joubert as Marchino Schisa; Massimiliano Gallo as Franco; Betti Pedrazzi as Baronessa Focale; Renato Carpentieri as Alfredo
- **Runtime:** 2h 10m
- **First release (Italy):** 2 September 2021
- **Genres:** Drama
- **Budget:** $13 million
- **Box office:** $167,909
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_1VW_0i6vo

## Where to watch in Saudi Arabia

Not streaming, renting or buying in Saudi Arabia at the last check.

Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, AZ, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IL, IN, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US, VN, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- International Submission to the Academy Awards 2022: International Submission to the Academy Awards (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Director 2021: European Film Award for Best Director (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Film 2021: European Film Award for Best Film (nominated)
- European Film Award for Best Screenwriter 2021: European Film Award for Best Screenwriter (nominated)

## If you liked this

- *Amarcord* (1973), Fi1m 82: Another Italian adolescence remembered through unruly neighbours, sexual curiosity and family embarrassment. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/amarcord.md)
- *The Long Day Closes* (1992): A remembered British childhood shaped by family, loneliness and trips to the cinema.
- *Fanny and Alexander* (1982), Fi1m 92: For a larger family gathering, with warmth, cruelty and carefully observed domestic rituals. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/fanny-and-alexander.md)
- *A Brighter Summer Day* (1991), Fi1m 90: A harsher Taiwanese adolescence, with family pressures and youthful longing given patient attention. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-brighter-summer-day.md)
- *20th Century Women* (2016): Gives the women around a teenage boy fuller lives of their own.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/the-hand-of-god