1. The Godfather
STRENGTHS: Brilliantly acted with Marlon Brando resurrecting his career and Al Pacino making his breakout on the way to becoming one of the greatest actors of all time. New York street scenes were remarkably realistic. Incredible musical score including Nino Rota’s theme. Historically accurate depiction of mid-century mob wars and accurate depiction of ruthless violence. Movie was far ahead of its time in portrayal of the anti-hero.
FLAW: One-dimensional movie never really gave any insight into the characters or what made them tick or any feel for their personal lives.
2. Goodfellas
STRENGTHS: Astonishingly realistic and credible look at mid-level Mafia operating in New York from the sixties through the eighties. Perfectly crafted characters based on real life figures portrayed in Henry Hill’s account of mob life and turning into government informant. Movie contrasted the glamour of mob life with the ugly reality of sociopathic behavior and amoral lack of loyalty. Star turn performance by Lorraine Bracco as the middle class girl seduced by mob life. Scene stealing performance by Joe Pesci as sociopathic mid-level mob thug. One of the great soundtracks of all time. “The Long Take” scene at New York’s Copacabana one of the greatest directorial scenes in cinema history.
FLAW: None.
3. The Godfather, Part 2
STRENGTHS: The perfect sequel in that it told both the back story of the days before The Godfather (Part 1) and after. Pacino’s performance as the calculating and emotion-less don was epic. Told the story of the mob’s move from the east to Las Vegas. Less romanticized than the original, Part 2 examined the brilliant calculating of mob bosses and their remorseless and unapologetic violence. Exposed the notion of “family” as Pacino character essentially kills everybody.
FLAW: Entirely forgettable music score.
4. The Irishman
STRENGTHS: Director Scorsese uses freedom of Netflix to take the time to tell a 45-year story tracing a hitman’s interactions with mob’s biggest figures. Will age well as YouTube snippets get tens of millions of views. Use of technology to make actors look younger and older was remarkable. Retrospective nature as dying mobster narrates whole movie by “confessing” to priest without really confessing was a creative device that worked. Not many picked up on it but the allegory of Hoffa’s daughter as God in judgment was brilliant. Greatest mob movie cast ever. Based on real life characters and historically accurate although the Hoffa assassination narrative is unproven. DeNiro at his best. Pacino at his best. Pesci at his best. Scene stealing performance by Stephen Graham as Tony Provenzano. Opening scene of DeNiro using walker in nursing home a great take-off on “The Long Take” from Goodfellas.
FLAW: Female characters and family life totally undeveloped
5. Donnie Brasco
STRENGTHS: Johnny Depp, before he went nutty, perfectly captures an undercover FBI agent almost developing “Stockholm Syndrome” as he identifies with mobsters he is busting. Realistic portrayal of mid-level mob life. Another great Pacino role as the mobster suckered in by Depp’s FBI agent.
FLAW: No mention of the extensive time “Donnie” and “Lefty” spent in real life working with Milwaukee mob.
6. A Bronx Tale
STRENGTHS: Chaz Palmentieri’s semi-autobiographical story of a kid growing up under the wing of a Bronx mafia boss. Credibly transitions from life as a little kid to teenager despite necessary change in actors. Great mob scenes including the beatdown of the bikers and the craps games in which bad luck losers were exiled to standing in the bathroom. Another great supporting cast role by DeNiro as the law-abiding dad who resented his son’s relationship with the mob boss (played by Palmentieri himself).
FLAW: Overly romanticized portrayal of mobster Sonny as nice father figure.
7. Casino
STRENGTHS: Visually beautiful look at Las Vegas in the sixties and seventies as the bob took control. Iconic performance by Sharon Stone as the hooker with no heart of gold, just a love for gold. Yet another scene-stealing performance by Pesci playing a character based on legendary mob goon Tony Spilotro. Based on real life characters and story. Excellent depiction of the push-shove of criminal mobsters muscling Vegas while also trying to be acceptable businessmen. Great “cheater’s justice” scene. Another Scorsese epic.
FLAW: Often compared to Goodfellas but not as good.
EXPLANATION:
This is a list of Mafia movies, not mob or gangster movies. Not included are many other mob movies in which the mob wasn’t specifically Italian, or the Mafia. Not included are TV shows like “The Sopranos” or “Boardwalk Empire.” Films with partial Mafia references like “Bugsy” and The Untouchables” were also excluded as they weren’t pure Mafia movies. Comedies with mob characters are also not included. The list is restricted to these seven because others don’t measure up.
