Barry Levinson reunites with Robert De Niro for The Alto Knights, a crime drama in which the legendary actor stars as two iconic figures of the 1950s New York Mafia: Vito Genovese and Frank Costello. Longtime friends, these two crime bosses see their relationship crack under the weight of personal ambitions, leading to a ruthless power struggle. With a screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi(Goodfellas, Casino), this plunge into the bowels of organized crime promises to be both a psychological and brutal confrontation.
The Alto Knights will hit cinema screens from March 19, 2025.
Synopsis: Vito Genovese and Frank Costello are two Italian-American crime bosses in the middle of the 20th century. In 1957, Genovese attempts to assassinate Costello, but fails. Costello, wounded by the attack, tries to retire from the Mafia.
Following in the footsteps of the great Mafia frescoes, The Alto Knights meticulously depicts the rising tensions between Genovese and Costello, whose opposing trajectories eventually turn them into mortal enemies. Vito Genovese, greedy for control, represents a more tyrannical, centralized vision of the mafia, while Frank Costello, more diplomatic, embodies an approach based on negotiation and alliances. The assassination attempt on Costello by Vincent Gigante (Cosmo Jarvis) marks a decisive turning point in their relationship, and plunges the film into an atmosphere of paranoia and score-settling.
The film's careful recreation of the 1950s relies above all on Robert De Niro's outstanding performance, which brilliantly differentiates the two protagonists through subtle nuances of posture, gaze and diction. Debra Messing, in the role of Bobbie Costello, brings a human dimension to the story, playing a woman aware of the dangers of the world in which her husband evolves. Cosmo Jarvis delivers a convincing performance as Vincent Gigante, a henchman caught between loyalty and opportunism.
Barry Levinson's staging is elegant and immersive, with the camera in constant motion, capturing the latent tension of this world where a misstep can be fatal. Close-ups during verbal confrontations make the exchanges even more intense, while wide shots illustrate the characters' domination of their urban environment.
Visually, The Alto Knights opts for a dark color palette, dominated by shades of gray and brown, reinforcing the story's oppressive atmosphere. The use of chiaroscuro conveys the moral duality of the protagonists, while subdued lighting lends an intimate, menacing dimension to scenes of dialogue. The soundtrack, a blend of jazz and orchestral music, subtly accompanies the story's escalating tension.
Despite its undeniable formal qualities, the film suffers from uneven pacing, alternating between moments of dramatic intensity and more contemplative passages that sometimes slow down the story's momentum. Certain secondary characters, though promising, would have deserved more in-depth development, notably Vincent Gigante, whose motivations remain on the surface.
The Alto Knights may fall short of the mastery of Casino or The Godfather, but it nonetheless stands out as a captivating Mafia thriller, buoyed by a masterful performance from Robert De Niro. Levinson creates a twilight drama in which ambition and betrayal seal the fate of two legendary figures in organized crime.
With its heavy atmosphere, sharp dialogue and exploration of power plays, the film will delight fans of the genre, even if it could have gone further in the psychological exploration of its protagonists. It's a high-flying duel that leaves you with one certainty: in the mafia, the real enemy is never far away... sometimes, he even has your face.
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