I should say that the political thriller is not my favourite genre. But, having enjoyed the Baader Meinhof Complex a few months ago and noting the critical acclaim for Il Divo, I thought I should give it my best attentions. I ended up disappointed.

I certainly admired the way the film created a palpable atmosphere of patronage, paranoia and violence, and the portrayal of Andreotti himself was wonderfully creepy, but after half an hour or so, with this atmosphere established, I felt that the film's narrative started to get lost in the ever-increasing complexity of all the different factions involved. This complexity made the film very demanding without the reward of some eventual understanding (in my case at least - I can see that it would be different for viewers already well-versed in
recent Italian political history).

I also had a problem with the sound levels - some of the action sequences were so deafening I had to reach for my earplugs; then as soon as they were in I had to remove them again to hear Andreotti's quiet voice... I didn't enjoy the longish sequence of popping flashguns, either.

Always nice to see Fanny Ardant on the screen, though I felt her cameo role was pretty superfluous. She is credited, at least indirectly, where the credits say (in Italian): 'Fanny Ardant's dress created by...'

absolutely brilliant, a must see for all Italians!