L'uomo in più

Set in Naples in the 1980s, this is the story of singer Tony, short for Antonio Pisaspia, and professional soccer player Antonio Pisaspia. Apart from their names, however, the two don't have much in common. Tony, selfish and obsessed with music, is brimming with self-confidence, while the shy Antonio goes through life humbly and obsessively. While both are at the peak of their respective professions, their success comes to an abrupt end. Tony is accused of raping a minor, Antonio seriously injures his leg. Four years later, their paths cross in an unexpected way... In ONE MAN UP, Paolo Sorrentino shows how fame and downfall, glamour and loneliness are interdependent. With cool elegance, melancholic humor, and precise observation, he paints a portrait of a generation torn between illusion and reality. Sorrentino's feature film debut, premiered in 2001 at the Venice Film Festival in the Orizzonti section and marked the beginning of his collaboration with Toni Servillo, who plays one of his most impressive early roles here. ONE MAN UP won the Nastro d'Argento for Best First Film and received the Ciak d'Oro for Best Debut. It was also screened at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and received high praise at other European festivals. With its stylistic clarity, keen sense of character development, and bitterly ironic tone, the film is now considered the starting point for Sorrentino's distinctive style, which he later developed in works such as Il Divo and La Grande Bellezza.