The King of Laughter

Figuring out the exact nature of all their relationships has a certain fascination, but it's not exactly entertaining. The dialogue feels mannered and Scarpetta's actions are so selfish and pompous they become irritating.

It's a dazzling and technically brilliant feat, the work of an ambitious, experienced and passionate director.

Commits without compromise to its driving conceit: that Scarpetta's personal life was as wildly expressive and uninhibited as his stage presence, to the extent that they're not all that differently presented on-screen.

Toni Servillo embodies this complex character, deploying a great variety of resources: he is funny, intriguing, seductive, or gloomy as each moment of the story demands. [Full review in Spanish]

A film of these characteristics may be of greater interest to Italians or those very initiated into its history. For the rest... we'll have to cope in the best way possible with Servillo's buffoonish and hammy delivery. [Full review in Spanish]

The bright bits make one believe there’s a brisk, pointed and poignant movie in this — one that clocks in a good 30 minutes shorter than this “King” demands.

Servillo has spent much of the latter part of his career playing narcissistic characters, and he’s perfectly cast here.

... an upbeat biopic-comedy centered on the beloved Neapolitan actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta, whose dedication to theater and illegitimate procreation were remarkably consistent.

An impeccably made period drama superbly conjures up the atmosphere of the era.