It says something about Toni Servillo's acting ability that he was able to shift my initial strong dislike for his character into a sense of near-pity by the film’s conclusion. “Jep” functions like a one-hit wonder in literature, having enjoyed a relatively smooth existence in Rome since writing "Human Apparatus." Now, approaching sixty-five, he finds himself unexpectedly confronting the superficiality of his own life. While he's indulged in fine wine, companionship, and music, many of his friends share his frivolous nature; however, a traumatic realization forces him—and allows us—to look back on past excesses and his inability to recapture that initial success from years prior. The film is beautifully shot, its decadence feeling perfectly at home against the backdrop of Rome’s ancient symbols of pleasure-seeking. I would have appreciated more developed portrayals of some of the people who've crossed Jep’s path over the years, such as “Romano” (Sabrina Ferilli), but perhaps that very lack of substance is what ultimately connects with the audience as "Jep" gradually recognizes his life as a hollow imitation and possibly too late to alter it. The story concerning lost loves and missed chances isn't particularly unique on its own, yet it’s the way these events unfold, combined with Servillo’s restrained but powerful performance, that elevates this into a sophisticated, gritty, and captivating film experience.

Source on TMDB