The Alto Knights, crime drama film directed by Barry Levinson and based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi is released a March 1, 2025. Robert De Niro plays both mob greats Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, the two most powerful figures in organized crime of 1950s. Robert De Niro is doing two roles of Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, two men that were once friends (who have now turned to each other's worst enemy) fighting for control within the criminal element that is New York.
Its story focussing in New York 1950s leads the narrative to the eroding relationship between Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. Out of crime family comrades now adversaries, they always seeking more. While the story is obviously heavily fictionalized, it is shown key moments such as times when they both tried to kill each other and the larger importance the efforts hold with respect to the Mafia dynamic at that time.
Both very well directed with the experience of Barry Levinson and penned by Nicholas Pileggi, both luminaries in the crime drama space.
Some critics and audiences have responded all through a gamut regarding The Alto Knights Robert De Niro tries to act out both Genovese and Costello, at once exploring if it is two-fished relationship. While some take De Niro's layering of nuanced performances for granted, others find subtle variations the characters bring Each other. But for the majority it would be distracting, with dual casting thinning the rivalry in real life feuds.
Pacing and narrative were also a point of debate about the film. Particularly I thought some scenes capture the conflict and the tension between mob families very well, though others are criticized for not going far enough to dig into all of the nuance in relationship between the characters.
Though deeply rooted within their rich historical context, the direction and Levinson- Pileggi screenplay as adaptation has at times difficulty feeling the emotional roots of other greats in this genre.
This extended Skrilax narrative is a lengthy and appreciative cinematic re-examination of organized crime's through-line moment The Alto Knights, as De Niro's entrepreneurial double-casting mission. The film, while intriguing and furnish its own take on the often complicated milieu of crime feuds isn't entirely able to match the depth and engagement in more crime drama classics. To fans of the genre and all those who are fans De Niro., it was an experience in acting granted alone but not the movie usually goes down as a great one.
