Vincere goes farther as an irrepressible howl of rancor to the past. [Full review in Spanish]

| Jul 15, 2022

The film's dramatic starting-point more or less is Mussolini's act of apostasy, his transformation in 1914 from a fire-eating, left Socialist into an Italian nationalist and patriot.

| Feb 13, 2021

A tragic, timeless tale about a spirited woman's stubborn devotion to a self-serving man.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 23, 2018

It is good and worth seeing but not great.

| Jan 13, 2018

While Dalser's story makes for a potent historical parable, at times it seems like little more than a garden-variety drama about an obsessive woman's scorn.

| Oct 7, 2015

Bellocchio encapsulates the long-running mass hysteria of a nation enthralled by the demagogic antics of a now-seeming buffoon.

| Jun 20, 2013

It's a real treat to see this provocative examination of the life of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. As Dalser, Giovanna Mezzogiorno delivers a passionate, ho-holds-barred performance. Filippo Timi is equally good as the bullish, blustering Mussolini.

| Jul 30, 2012

| Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 17, 2011

The events occur not to tell a narrative, but to illustrate an emotional progress.

| Original Score: 9/10 | Mar 2, 2011

Carol Crivelli's soaring classical score heightens Bellochio's operatic tendencies.

| Dec 30, 2010

A series of striking images that serve little purpose except to look striking.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Oct 28, 2010

In telling the story of one wronged woman, Bellocchio shows how an entire country was flattered and seduced, then betrayed.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 26, 2010

An art-house version of a historical drama that takes plenty of risks--some of which are more successful than others. But you can't say enough about Giovanna Mezzogiorno's performance.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Jul 22, 2010

Movie starts off with a bang, but begins to lose interest as the main character (Ida Dalser) descends into mental illness.

| May 28, 2010

It's all a grand and flashy affair -- but also weirdly prone to the incoherence, redundancy and bullying dehumanization that characterized the political history it presumes to critique.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 27, 2010

Vincere maintains its grip through sheer flair.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | May 20, 2010

This skilfully made film tells a terrific story but is rather too densely packed to appeal to audiences unfamiliar with (or uninterested in) Italian history. Although it gives the wonderful Mezzogiorno yet another vivid role.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 20, 2010

Writer/director Bellocchio boldly orchestrates a whirl of archival newsreel footage, silent-movie clips and fictional re-enactments.

| May 20, 2010

A full-blooded melodrama pitched at the level of grand opera.

| Original Score: 3/5 | May 17, 2010

An audacious, wildly operatic exploration of Mussolini's rise to power from the perspective of the secret wife whom he all but erased from history.

| Original Score: 4/5 | May 17, 2010