Romanzo Criminale Review

"Romanzo Criminale" reviews

Movie

Romanzo Criminale

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-10-27 15:00:40

Provider

Review

Three boyhood friends turn to crime for their fortune… And they set their sights high, aiming to become the ruling drug lords of Rome’s underworld. But it’s a reign that's intertwined with 25 years of modern Italian history – littered with terrorism, kidnapping and corruption.

Lebanese, Ice and Dandi are their self appointed nicknames. After an early 70’s outing, kidnapping a local dignitary, they astutely invest the ransom to take on the ruling organised crime lords of Rome. Over the next 25 years they live life to the full, and on the edge, implementing their ambitious expansion plans.

Notoriety (and a trace on their initial ransom) makes them key targets for competing gangs and a tenacious Police Lieutenant who tracks their ruthless path but is seemingly unable to arrest them after compromising himself with Patrizia, Dandi’s muse. As the death toll rises the group risk becoming victims of their own greed, paranoia and vendettas.

Based on a best-selling novel, itself based on a true story, Romanzo Criminale (literally translating as Crime Story) unfolds into a tough, gritty, tightly told epic. Kim Rossi Stuart is excellent as Freddo (Ice) – a suave and handsome actor in the Clooney mold who should breakthrough to much bigger things. Pierfrancesco Favino provides a completely beguiling performance as Lebanese and dominates his screen time, leaving you wanting more of his ruthless character.

The film's thick with sharp action that doesn’t skimp on gruesome detail, but also takes time out for tenderness to give these villains pathos and depth Though well-balanced, Romanzo Criminale sometimes seems a little rushed, making any claim to be a new Good Fellas or Godfather a stretch. It clearly owes a debt to those and others of their ilk being filmed in the same vein: dark and complicated, with a plot that keeps plenty aside so you’re nailed to your seat ‘til it’s end.

Movie

Romanzo Criminale

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2006-11-02 00:00:00

Provider

MyMovies

Review

When we think Italian gangsters, our thoughts obviously turn to the Mafia. But this hard-hitting outing from director Michele Placido instead focuses on three power hungry childhood friends who decide that Rome' shady underworld needs new leaders. The trio in question picked cool sounding names in their youth so the enigmatic Ice (Kim Rossi Stuart), ambitious Lebanese (Pierfrancesco Favino) and high-life loving Dandy (Claudio Santamaria) set out to conquer the city's prosperous drugs and prostitution markets. Meanwhile a virtuous cop (Stefano Accorsi) is determined to bring their criminal reign to an end.

Based on a true story, Placido's film certainly doesn't pull any punches as it charts the trio's rise during the '70s and '80s. Violence is never far away in this world and executions and murders come thick and fast as Ice, Lebanese and Dandy fight to keep control of their empire. But obviously as the years pass, priorities change and, as outside influences may or may not be using the gang to fuel political and social unrest, cracks starts to form The script, adapted from Giancarlo De Cataldo's book, may wander slightly at times but the core relationship between the three men is always there and that's what keeps "Romanzo Criminale" on track.

Dark and sometimes disturbing, Placido's movie offers some hope in the form of love and relationships and, unusually for a movie of this genre, also explores a link between organised crime and politics. But it's the unforgiving gangster lifestyle that dominates and if this film doesn't turn you away from a life of crime and its consequences, then nothing will.