Gomorra (2008)

7.3

amazon prime video

Amazon Video

Movie

Belgium, France

French, Italian, Mandarin

Crime, Drama

2008

MATTEO GARRONE, MAURIZIO BRAUCCI

Alfonso Santagata, Carmine Paternoster, Ciro Petrone

136 min

What it's about

An inside look at Italy's modern-day crime families, the Camorra in Naples and Caserta. Based on a book by Roberto Saviano. Power, money and blood: these are the "values" that the residents of the Province of Naples and Caserta have to face every day. They hardly ever have a choice and are forced to obey the rules of the Camorra. Only a lucky few can even think of leading a normal life.

The take

In the crowded genre of Mafia movies, Gomorrah finds its originality in not romanticizing anything. It's authentically gripping, violent without being excessively violent, and something that can only be described as a masterpiece of Italian cinema. It follows different protagonists' entry into organised crime in Naples, with the two main ones taking their inspiration from American gangster characters. Just to give you a sense of how well-rooted this movie is, after it was done shooting, many of the characters (including the guy who plays the clan boss in the movie), were arrested. In his case, he was caught trying to collect "pizzo", otherwise known as mafia tax.