Os Cem Passos

I was so shocked to learn that when Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino were assassinated in Sicily in Spring/Summer 1992, that the people of Sicilia were standing up and protested to the organized crime. Yes, I do remember. I read a Book called " The Excellent Cadavers" by Alexander Stille, when he talks about the bloody ordeal of Ani-mafia judges who were murdered by Toto Riina during the 70's and 80's. This man Peppino Impastato took it upon himself and spoke out against this terrorist society in the 1970's. But in the end, with that task he was murdered. This was a good film and I enjoyed as much. Great performances. I CENTO PASSI is a film that really hit me because of my appreciation of the culture and the language of the Island of Sicily. This is a film that captures a man who sacrificed his life for a just cause to a bunch of murderous cowards.

Rating: 7.6

Somebody say that it is a classical italian movie about Mafia, but I'm sure that `I cento passi'is something more. It talks about the real story of Peppino Impastato. Peppinpo was a boy who lived in a small village in Sicily in the 70's. After his grandfather's murder he knew a printer who was communist and becoming communist and through he tried to fight the Mafia and the boss in particular, because he was the mandant of grandfather's murder. `I cento passi' means ` 100 steps' which was the distance between his home and the boss' house. He was killed by dynamite the same day of Moro's murder (a famous italian politician) but the police said that it was an accident. It is a real story and it make you thing how the pawer is dangerous but also how is important the bravery.

Forget all the movie you have seen since now about mafia. Forget good people to one side and bad people to the other, forget blood and gunshots. This is the real story of a boy from Sicily who's family is actually very well connected with Mafia, so to fight Mafia he has to fight against people he loves, and make them take the same risks he takes in this fight. It is also a good portrait about Sicily's way of life and youth rebellion of seventies. I'm sorry for those have to see it in a different language from italian (I should say sicilian) because original dialogs worth it. A word about scriptwriters, Monica Zapelli and Claudio Fava. Their good job comes from their knowledge about Mafia, and their courage actually fighting it.

I was well surprised to see how with intelligence a film with a plot which could be easily mixed up to the typical "mafia's films serie" has been excellently directed and extremely well acted.

Normally I do not make any type of comparison to the "golden years" (sixties-seventies) of the Italian cinema but for me is a must today to say that this film and the director: Giordana does not have anything to envy to Francesco Rosi and his films. The actor Luigi Lo Cascio is just excellent well deep involved in his character.

Do not miss the film it worths even in DVD or VHS.

Rating: 7/10

I saw this movie just recently and loved it. I was sort of forced into watching it (I as trying to get my friend to bring out "Alien" instead, but that didn't work), and I found it an amazing experience. The performances are sizzling, especially from the title role of Peppino played by Luigi Lo Cascio. For a mafia film I found there to be an incredibly low amount of violence. If only it hadn't been forgotten, because it is a truly underrated gem. No Godfather, or even Pulp Fiction, but still a heart-warming and powerful film.

Unmissable.

7/10