Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageRomanzo Criminale (2005)
Director: Michele Placido
Movie review
From Time Out London
That’s ‘Crime Novel’ rather than ‘Criminal Romance’, by the way, and this bullet-riddled Italian saga does have a very generic feel, as ruthless Roman street-kids use the proceeds from a kidnapping to muscle in on the city’s underworld, make it bigger than they dreamed, then proceed to wipe each other out when they get ideas above their station. Shades of Scorsese and Coppola abound, though Michele Placido’s film is perhaps closer in spirit to the brutal B-picture world of ’70s Italian gangster movies. What marks it out however, is an ambitious attempt to weave the characters’ nefarious exploits into Italy’s turbulent recent history (including the Red Brigade’s 1978 murder of PM Aldo Moro), suggesting sinister connections between the criminals, terrorists and the government’s secret service. Unfortunately, the storytelling here is murkier than required, causing the pace to flag alarmingly in the second half. A pity really, since Placido uses period pop hits, like The Sweet’s ‘Ballroom Blitz’, with genuine swagger and Kim Rossi Stuart’s gang leader Fredo (‘Ice’) delivers a terrific performance balancing cold steel with a flicker of conscience.Author: Trevor Johnston
Time Out London Issue 1889: November 1-8 2006
Cast & crew
Director: Michele Placido
Cast: Anna Mouglalis, Pierfrancesco Favino, Kim Rossi Stuart, Claudio Santamaria full cast
Genre(s): Drama
Rated: 15
Duration: 151 mins
UK Release: Nov 3 2006
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now