ONCE in awhile, along comes a movie that not only has something interesting to say, but also says much about itself while doing so. The Great Beauty (La Grande Bellezza) is director Paolo Sorrentino's love letter to Rome, a city that - like an ageing beauty who has lived life to the fullest - may be somewhat worn around the edges but remains elegant and dignified, with secrets yet to be discovered.

Sorrentino, who wrote the screenplay with Umberto Contarello, shows various sides to a city that is different things to different people: a famous tourist attraction filled with ancient sites and glorious architecture, a place where religion plays a significant role in daily life, a decadent party venue whose residents gather nightly to celebrate nothing more than simply being alive.

Jep Gambardella (Toni Servillo) is a dedicated devotee of la dolce vita - which by no small coincidence is also the name of the classic 1960 Fellini movie that was an obvious source of inspiration. Jep is also a magazine journalist and self-described king of the high life who published a well-received novel 40 years ago and never wrote another book, spends his time attending parties, throwing soirees on the terrace of his home overlooking the Coliseum and roaming the streets and pathways of the city in search of something that might possibly provide deeper meaning to his life.