First Hit: Powerful and realistically shot film providing a glimpse at the Camorra coalition of crime families in Italy.
This film is quite different than the set-up execution scenes of a Scorsese gangster mafia film or the lushness of a Coppola mafia film story.
This film is shot in a documentary style. There are a couple of stories within this film but the main one is about two young guys think they are tough enough and smart enough to take a piece of the pie owned by one of the local heads of the family.
They think, he is all talk, out of shape, and out of touch. In their brash young way, the get themselves into a hole with the family they think they can get out of. The family gives them a warning which is strong and direct, but because of their youth they survive the scare and believe their strength is hiding behind their stolen guns.
This film simply makes the rules known and that the rules will be upheld in the manner befitting the rule. And although this film doesn’t direct itself with the most senior levels of the consortium, it does let the watcher “get” the hierarchy and its importance.
Matteo Garrone did an excellent job of directing no-name actors in this gritty and matter-of-fact film. Maurizio Braucci did the screenplay with Roberto Saviano who is the author of the book on which this film is based.
Overall: This was a great gritty film that brings Italian crime families into a real life view. It is executed (yes that word) in a crisp factual way.