Real Gangsters

Recently watched Real Gangsters and was surprised at the amount of talent within this film. Im surprised to read some of the other reviews that bash this film. It's an Italian Film Festival winner and it is a Canadian Production that I for one can appreciate and be proud of. I enjoyed the cast, their humour, their natural approach to acting and I enjoyed that the film didn't end with the typical cookie cutter ending that anyone could guess. As a fellow Canadian I can appreciate the Canadian talent that oozed throughout the entire film, along side some pretty big names and new comers. Even if this film isn't your cup of tea, you can't deny that it was entertaining to watch and filled with a great cast.

If you're looking for a candy coated mafia movie like the Sopranos, then this movie is not for you. Real Gangsters is more realistic, almost like reality TV the way it was shot. Usually I don't expect much from independent films but I had the opportunity to view this film in Hoboken and was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't a typical mafia movie it was edgy and gritty with in your face drama that kept you at the edge of your seat with every scene because you did not know what was coming next. Yes, the language was a little harsh at times but that's what added to the realness. I love gangster movies and this was one that I would see again.

There's nothing like watching a movie filled with Canadian Actors. This movie had a bit of a twist and I actually enjoyed the ending. Left me questioning what happened. Will there be a part 2? I for one hope so. I've watched a lot of movies and a ton of Canadian movies and I liked this one a lot. I enjoyed seeing Michael Pare in this film as I remember watching Eddie and the Cruisers with my dad some years back. I liked the relationship between D'Angelo's character and Pare's. Seemed to be very real and I also liked the humorous outbursts by Mangiardi's character. I had wished that Loggia's character would have had greater parts. He's a brilliant actor and his character had a great underlining purpose/importance about it. It was a nice addition to this film and showed the real impulses of D'Angelo's character, through his love for Loggia's character. All in all, I enjoyed this.

Finally got to watch it. I loved this film, watched it twice on the weekend. This is not a sugar coated mob film. Need to accept it for what it is - an entertaining action flick with a sprinkle of realism. The film is very well shot, visually enticing with good acting. How can you go wrong with a seasoned cast like Robert Loggia, Steven Bauer, John Savage, Margot Kidder, Nick Mancuso and many more. Also surprisingly Frank D'Angelo for a first time film performance was particularly good in his role. Lots of intense scenes with drama and classic crime scenarios that I have not seen in other mob films. I really likes some of the scenes where they threw in a few lines of Italian dialogue, it really hit home with me being of Italian background. It's not a big budget film but it's an entertaining film. I recommend it.

This is a terrific movie by a brilliantly gifted actor, writer and director, Frank D'Angelo. The acting is superb by all that do their parts. It does have its flaws, but not many. It is enthralling to watch, especially D'Angelo's acting - he's just a huge bad-ass in the extreme, but totally captivating to watch. However, the movie could have been so much better if there had been sharper plotting with twists and turns. There is one scene in the movie that is hugely influenced by Pulp Fiction (and a steal from Tarantino's writing) - you'll know it when you see it. This could have been one of the best gangster movies ever if it had shifted up gears another level. It's no Goodfellas or The Godfather, though it is most definitely worth watching for D'Angelo's acting alone. I'd say he's every bit as good as Joe Pesci in the acting stakes and every bit as psychopathic. Brilliant movie. Go see.