Barry Levinson (Diner; The Natural; Rain Man; Bugsy; Good Morning, Vietnam) directs this script by Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino) about two New York crime bosses—Frank Costello and Vito Genovese (both played by Robert De Niro)—whose childhood friendship and successful Prohibition liquor operations in the ’20s and ’30s eventually devolve into open conflict in the ’50s. (120 min.)
Glen In the grand scheme of great crime dramas, this is an also-ran. It’s more interested in giving a history lesson than being entertaining on the scale of The Godfather, The Departed, or Scarface. Both pedantic and didactic, the film feels too much like a docudrama. That said, after the initial distraction of the facial prosthetics, De Niro is a marvel in the dual roles of Frank and Vito, who have very different approaches to mob business. Frank wants to grease wheels and keep everyone happy. Vito wants to take and never give. “You want to be a diplomat, that’s your business,” Vito tells Frank. “I’m a gangster.” The point is that Vito’s violent ways precipitate the end of the American mafia. If you’re looking for a well-acted and directed history lesson that deftly weaves in archival footage and features effective sets, props, costuming, and cars, this is worth a matinee.
Anna De Niro is definitely an asset to the film. His turns at both the gangsters are distinct and nuanced roles. I agree that it didn’t manage to engage me as much as the films you mentioned. While it has the grit of a mob film, it seems to lack the heart of a truly good one. Frank seems to be a reluctant mob boss, or at least a regretful one at this later stage of life. He’s ready to turn away from it all and retire to Italy with his wife, Bobbie (Debra Messing), and their two squeak-toy sized pups. Make no mistake though, Frank is a methodical man, and he doesn’t intend to let Vito ruin the empire he built. Vito feels he’s owed everything and isn’t afraid to stab his oldest friend in the back to get it. It’s an interesting true story, one I didn’t really know anything about, but I don’t think it will make a rotation into my rainy-day movies like The Godfather has.
Glen I thought Messing was terrific as Bobbie, who had a real partnership with Frank, unlike the dysfunctional relationship between Vito and his wife, Anna Genovese (Kathrine Rispoli). I was also impressed with Cosmo Jarvis as Vincent Gigante, a rising mob soldier whose botched hit on Frank set the entire mess in motion. Gigante comes off as a real dolt, but he’s loyal. When he became a target of the feds, he pretended to have dementia and would wander the streets in a bathrobe muttering to himself. These guys thought they could get away with anything, that they were untouchable, but Frank was playing chess against their checkers and found a way to get out without going down. Mob stories are inherently fascinating because they’re essentially about the corruption of the American dream. Pileggi’s Goodfellas and Casino are two of the best mob movies ever made. This is an unfortunate addition to the 92-year-old’s oeuvre.
Anna The costuming was wonderful, and Messing as Bobbie looked absolutely stunning. She knew that Frank had to be strategic with his exit, and she trusted him to place the pieces on the board one by one. Even when Frank voluntarily testified in front of a congressional board and decided to avoid pleading the Fifth, which is what all the other mob members had done, he’s got strategy at play with every word. It’s worth a matinee if seeing De Niro in this dual role appeals to you. Δ
Arts Editor Glen Starkey and freelancer Anna Starkey write Split Screen. Glen compiles listings. Comment at gstarkey@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 6, 2025.