LA GRAZIA (Grace)

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Storyline (warning: spoilers)

A widowed Italian president faces moral crises over euthanasia legislation and pardoning killers while grappling with his late wife's infidelity during his final months in office.
Starring Toni Servillo as Mariano De Santis, Italy’s conservative president nicknamed “Reinforced Steel” for his unyielding traditionalism, the film follows the aging leader in his final months in office. De Santis, a devout Catholic, grapples with weighty decisions—euthanasia laws, potential pardons—that clash with his rigid ideals, leaving him feeling like a stranger in his own country. Compounding his turmoil is the lingering grief over his wife’s death eight years prior, soured by his obsessive resentment over her long-ago affair. His orbit—his sharp lawyer-daughter, lifelong friends, and loyal security team—offers solace, but it’s his internal journey that anchors the story.
De Santis is aware of the role that public perspective will play on his legacy should he make the ‘wrong’ decision regarding the euthanasia bill or the pardons. We get the sense that he is opposed to euthanasia by principle, but knows that the decision and its morality extends beyond his personal views. De Santis is influenced by the Pope who is not in favour of passing the euthanasia bill for religious reasons while De Santis’ daughter attempts to influence him in favour of passing the bill.
Being that De Santis is in the final months of his presidency, he is reflective towards his life and accomplishments. He knows he achieved the highest success at a political level, yet he is personally burdened by thoughts of his late wife’s affair.
His indecision regarding the euthanasia bill and pardons contributes to a sense of lost and wandering that Sorrentino often explores in his films. Sorrentino conveys more than any director that one’s surroundings shape an individual and their decisions.