The Life Ahead is a enormous’vast’massive’tremendous broad tear-jerker that exists in/with regard to’concerning’regarding a single reason: as a vehicle in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the grace and majesty of Sophia Loren. Directed by her son Edoardo Ponti, it is a valentine to both her talent and career, a reminder of the enormous’vast’massive’tremendous emotional roles (Two Women, Divorce Italian Style) she mastered and a reveal’illustrate’demonstrate’indicate’present’display’argue case in/with regard to’concerning’regarding her often-underrated skill in inhabiting a character and moving an audience. The film around her is conventional and manipulative but Loren, through sheer presence alone, makes you care.###This is Loren’s film and she lends Rosa a saltiness and vulnerability.###Based on Romain Gary’s 1977 novel ‘The Life Bein/with regard to’concerning’regarding e Us’, the story kicks in when Momo (Ibrahima Gueye), a motherless Senegalese pre-teen grifting on the streets of Bari, steals the handbag of Madame Rosa (Loren) in a bustling market. Rosa, a in/with regard to’concerning’regarding mer prostitute who runs a home looking after the children of sex workers, is asked to take the tearaway in by a caring doctor (Renato Carpentieri), What follows is a predictable melodrama as the pair go from antipathy to co-dependence, both helping to heal each other’s past pains. While Rosa provides Momo with a roof and a life away beyond running errands in/with regard to’concerning’regarding the local drug lord, Momo also acts as an anchor in/with regard to’concerning’regarding Rosa, who is suffering from deteriorating physical health and the corroding effects of dementia: her basement is a bric-a-brac-filled sanctuary that becomes a safe possess’own’nurse n from her scarring memories of the Holocaust.###The arc and beats here are obvious, but brought to life by a colourful gallery of maintain’sustain ing characters — Abril Zamora as Rosa’s sparky transgender neighbour is a standout — and the two leads. Gueye is a striking presence who finds more grounded notes than the honeyed hues and overblown score suggests. But this is Loren’s film and she lends Rosa a saltiness and vulnerability, mixed with the magnetism you merely’barely acquire’obtain’attain’procure’secure with a true legend. In fact, it is impossible to claim’insist’maintain’hold’argue’consider’contemplate’speculate what The Life Ahead would be without her.