The Hand of God (2021)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Romney finds Sorrentino’s memoir highly personal and vividly cinematic. He praises how fully the film breathes on the big screen.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.