Lamar Reviews - "The Alto Knights" (Airdate 3/28/2025)

In this movie Robert De Niro plays the two main characters, mobsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. I know it was supposed to be magical, but to me it was tedious.

I don’t think having Robert De Niro playing both major parts was the way to go. Having one actor play two parts really doesn’t make any sense to me, unless they are evil twins or brothers or some other reason. These guys are not kin, and they are completely opposite in all ways. In this movie it seems more like a stunt to me.

Costello grew up with Genovese and they formed a crime business selling black market alcohol during prohibition. Genovese got it some trouble and went to Europe to hide out. It was supposed to be for a short time, but World War II broke out and Genovese was stuck overseas for a long time. By the time he finally got back Costello had built it into a huge business, so he doesn’t feel like he owes Genovese anything. To keep the peace, he gives him some territory.

That does not set well with Genovese who is hot tempered, paranoid and a really bad guy. Costello, make no mistake, is a gangster and a bad guy, but he is also a businessman and tries act like one.

De Niro shows absolutely no energy in either role. As Costello he seems to spend most of the time sitting in his chair smoking. Every once in a while, his wife, played by Debra Messing, comes in and asks if everything is ok, and Costello tells her everything is fine.

The title Alto Knights comes from a local club that really never figures into the story except when it shows the history of Costello and Genovese growing up.

The movie starts with Costello being shot and then we jump to flashbacks that confuse, more than they move the plot forward.

The movie rehashes a lot of the famous mob stories like the Mafia summit meeting in upstate New York that ended when local police became suspicious of all the fancy cars with out-of-state tags all in one place. Nothing new, it was like watching a slow documentary about something you already know all about.

The movie is 2 long hours, Rated-R for violence and language.

There is nothing here that we have not seen many times in many mob movies. And the one thing it lacks is the excitement and tension of a good mobster movie. There was some action but not as much as you would expect.

I did manage to stay awake, but just barely. This movie did not add anything to De Niro’s career or legacy.

For an actor to have accomplished all he has in the movie industry, this was definitely a step down.

My Score: 2 Buds