Lo spietato

Many viewers on here complain about the predictability and formulaic composition of Italian gangster films. They complain that they are unoriginal. Well, so was the Sopranos. Every plot, every subplot, character arc, drama and tension was almost completely informed by either Mob classics or Mob folklore. The beauty of the Sopranos was it's subtle parody of mafia stereotypes - and perhaps for the first time viewed as a daily drama. Larger than life gangsters dealing with everyday life made for great viewing. Essentially though, it was a dramedy. It was social commentary and skilful intricate character development.

Not every mobster flick can live up to be Goodfellas, Casino or the Godfather.

Because it is a thoroughly mined genre, mediocrity is inevitable-but that doesn't mean it's trash, or by the numbers storytelling.

Good movie . Lead actor was good . Brought character to the role . Def worth a watch. Authentic feel. Seems low budget but none the worse for it. Good show , check it out.

Started out very good, ended very boring. I lost track of what was going on. the writing was no so good, in my opinion. Good had been much better but it wasn't.

The story starts interesting, great shots and has a nice Italian feeling. Especially all the typical Italian cars look great! But the movie seems way longer than 90 minutes, the second half kind of drags. The storytelling does not really explain the choices that are made by the main characters. Stuff happens, but the reasons behind it are not so well explored. The story lost my attention to some degree. Cinematography is great, the 80's vibe is present, but overall I was not completely satisfied. I hoped for more...

Is it obvious that this is a formulaic gangster movie? One reviewer notes "la frase dice tutto" (the phrase says it all). It has all the ingredients of this genre, and the viewer might be wondering whether there's something different about it that sets it apart from the usual fare.

Well, there are several positive points.

First, the acting of Riccardo Scamarcio (as Santo Russo) is convincing which prods the viewer to see where the ruthless story goes. Second, the story explores different angles and plot lines that add texture to the storytelling. And, third, a pinch of dark humor in the right places. All these elements work together to produce an entertaining watch.