• Release year: 2025
• Director: Barry Levinson.
• Producers: Barry Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, Charles Winkler, and Irwin Winkler.
• Screenplay by: Nicholas Pileggi.
• Cinematography by: Dante Spinotti.
• Music by: David Fleming.

Shotgun Commentary: yet another De Niro mafia movie, you know the drift by now.

Review

The Alto Knights is based on the real-life feud between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, mafia bosses who grew up together but got further away from each other as time went by, leading to Costello’s retirement after Genovese tried to get him murdered.

If you have ever watched a crime film about Italian American mafias, you probably have seen De Niro in the gangster role before. Now, tons of cinephiles will tell you how absolutely wonderful he is, truth is, De Niro’s gangster movies are very much like Bon Jovi’s songs, entertaining and fun, but mostly identical.

The good-old times

There is such a huge amount of biopics and real-life-based stories coming out lately that it is hard to keep track of all of them. However, this feature manages to stand out due to its genre, not the most innovative but not quite in fashion right now either. More and more people are realising the true reasons why The Godfather trilogy is so popular, even amongst people who know nothing about cinema or storytelling.

The films are great, but they are more than just well-made, they tap into a society that doesn’t exist any more, a time and a place where men shot the people who disagree with them, have a wife/maid who asks no questions and is always happy to get a sliver of their attention, and a bunch of very young mistresses who make them feel young again.

Because that time is gone, and pretty much everyone who is not a white guy doesn’t miss it at all, those type of films are no longer as popular as they once were. Most people nowadays know the ABCs of feminism, inclusivity and tolerance, and no longer see those toxic role models as such.

Lost in progress

Did this film make a mistake, then? It most certainly didn’t, and there are two factors to back this answer up. The first, and most obvious due to the previous paragraph, is that this type of narrative attracts those who still haven’t found their position in society. It is really hard for men to be the breadwinners of a household when the average income barely covers half a rent plus expenses.

As such, lots of men are struggling with coming to terms with the fact that they will very likely never fulfil that traditional position, a reality that some find hard to assume. This has led to the rise of conservative parties that promise to bring back the traditional society structures, influencers that preach about manliness and being “an alpha”, and media content that showcases that traditional (and disgustingly sexist) family structure that reassures so many.

Still, the film makes sure to not dive too much into the sexist aspect of the film, a sort of self-awareness that positions this movie as a 2025 gangster movie. Women are called crazy and mostly ignored, sure, but no mistresses are shown, and the protagonist even shares his thoughts with the wife as an equal from time to time. It may not seem like much, but it sure beats the average female representation in the genre.

It’s a hard-knocked life

The second reason why this film makes sense is that the gangster genre usually gets popular when the economy goes down. During political, social, but mostly economic crisis, nihilistic and violence genres tend to experience a rise.

Self-deprecating or dark humour makes a big comeback, in this three months of 2025 alone you already have Mickey 17 and Companion as examples of this. Love stories become sour, as the second example also attests. And all action/drama has a touch of thriller, violence, and two clear messages: eat the rich, and to hell with the system.

Being part of the third example, you might have already guessed the main message of the film. Far from the usual “look how cool and passionate we are”, this story sends more of an “if the system wants to rule over us, we’ll rule over the system”. Centreing their crimes as a way to fight the system and build a good life for themselves despite being immigrants, instead of the hard truth: they are greedy criminals who want to get richer and don’t care who they have to lie to or cheat to do so.

The calm in the storm

De Niro is back playing the same role he’s played his whole career, only this time he brings to life two characters rather than just the one. Are they twins? Not at all. Are they family? Negative. Is the makeup so good that you don’t recognise that he is the same person? Hell no! Although the makeup is pretty fantastic. Still, De Niro manages to deliver the exact same performance twice in the same film, with as minimum changes as humanly possible and the aid of wardrobe to help you differentiate them.

Still, the only feature of the movie that should make you think twice about going to watch it, even if you are a fan of gangster films, is the pacing. Do not, under any circumstances, pick a session that takes place after you have eaten. Are you tired that day? This is not the movie for you, or maybe it is, depends on your goal.

Whatever your mood or aim, just take into consideration that the film has a couple of dynamic scenes. The rest is very slow movements, with Robert De Niro narrating facts in the most spa-friendly, Zen voice possible. Nap assured unless you are really, REALLY awake.

All in all, The Alto Knights is a mafia movie with a retro style and the speed of a centenary tortoise. The acting is more of the same, which is pretty good, just not exciting at all. Makeup and wardrobe do a pretty spot-on work. Do check it out if you are really into classic gangster films or in dire need of a nap, it will not disappoint.

Thanks to Warner for big-screen access! The Alto Knights will be released the 21st of March.

Advice to take from this movie:

• There IS such thing as too much narration.
• Everything seems lusher with jazz music in the background.
• Everything improves with adorable fur balls showing up from time to time.

What’s your take? Have you watched The Alto Knights? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀