What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Great Beauty
Paolo Sorrentino · Film · 2013
If you loved The Great Beauty, start with The Young Pope (Paolo Sorrentino, 2016) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Great Beauty across media.
What hooked you in The Great Beauty was the way the pursuit of decadence and power inevitably unravels into a profound existential confrontation.
Books on the same thread
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 2004
Shares a thread with The Great Beauty: Nostalgia.
Like The Great Beauty, this classic explores the hollowness hidden behind layers of extreme wealth and social status, mirroring Jep Gambardella’s own disillusioned search for meaning amidst excessive luxury.
F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald · Book · 1991
Shares a thread with The Great Beauty: Nostalgia.
This novel echoes the themes of The Great Beauty by examining the tragic emptiness of high society and the lingering, painful nostalgia for a past that remains forever out reach.
The Stranger
Albert Camus · Book · 1993
Shares a thread with The Great Beauty: Existential crisis.
If The Great Beauty captures the absurdity of life in Rome, this philosophical masterpiece provides the stark, alienated perspective on morality that informs Jep Gambardella’s own detached, observant nature.
The Stranger (L'Étranger)
Albert Camus · Book · 1942
Shares a thread with The Great Beauty: Existential Crisis.
Much like the existential crisis found in The Great Beauty, this narrative captures the unsettling indifference of the universe, forcing a confrontation with the absurdity of human existence and mortality.
Series on the same thread
The Young Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2016
Explores: faith and doubt, power dynamics, corruption.
Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, this series shares the visual opulence and spiritual inquiry of The Great Beauty, placing a powerful, isolated figure at the center of a corrupt, secretive institution.
The New Pope
Paolo Sorrentino · Series · 2020
Explores: Faith and Doubt, Power and Corruption, Existentialism.
Building on the thematic foundation of The Great Beauty, this sequel continues to probe the intersection of faith, power, and existential doubt within the grand, gilded architecture of the Vatican.
My Brilliant Friend
Saverio Costanzo · Series · 2018
Explores: Female Friendship, Childhood, Memory.
This series mirrors the reflective, memory-laden tone of The Great Beauty, focusing on the way a life is constructed through the lens of long-term relationships and evolving social environments.
The Sopranos
David Chase · Series · 1999
Shares a thread with The Great Beauty: Existential Crisis.
The Great Beauty presents a man navigating a world of moral ambiguity, a struggle similarly echoed in the life of Tony Soprano as he balances domestic reality with criminal existentialism.
Podcasts on the same thread
Desinteligencia Artificial
Podcast
Explores: Modern Society, Technology, Future.
This podcast explores the same decadent decline of modern society that Jep Gambardella witnesses in The Great Beauty, offering a critical look at the absurdities of our contemporary cultural landscape.
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic audio stories mirror the experimental and atmospheric nature of The Great Beauty, focusing on the human condition through short, impactful vignettes that explore deep moral and existential questions.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Great Beauty about a specific period in the life of Jep Gambardella?
The Great Beauty centers on Jep Gambardella after he reaches his 65th birthday. The film follows his reflection on his decades spent navigating the lavish nightlife of Rome following a sudden shock from his past.
What is the primary theme explored in The Great Beauty?
The Great Beauty focuses on Jep Gambardella as he moves beyond the superficial parties and nightclubs of Rome. He seeks to discover a deeper, timeless landscape of beauty following a significant personal realization after his 65th birthday.
Who is the main character in The Great Beauty?
The main character in The Great Beauty is Jep Gambardella. He is depicted as a man who has spent decades seducing his way through the social scene of Rome before eventually searching for something more meaningful.
What triggers the change in perspective for the protagonist of The Great Beauty?
In The Great Beauty, the protagonist Jep Gambardella experiences a shift in his outlook after his 65th birthday. This change is prompted by a shock from his past, which leads him to look past the superficiality of Rome.