Think of a mafia film, and already Coppola and Scorsese jump to the top of the list. I’ve seen The Irishman at least three times now, and I can’t even count my viewings of The Godfather. Clearly, I judge my mafia films based on repeat viewing. I will admit, I just got out of a screening of Mafia Inc., and I’m pretty floored by how Daniel Grou’s epic story, based on André Cédilot and André Noël’s novel of the same name, stacks up against the classics and on my movie playlist.
While Cédilot and Noël’s Mafia, Inc., is a non-fiction story, director Daniel Grou and screenwriter Sylvain Guy, change the names, events, and consolidate characters to tell the story of two families and their rise to infamy in the Montreal Mafia. The changes were made to protect the filmmakers from unnecessary backlash.
“…a fortuitous opportunity to invest in a bridge that will connect Sicily with Italy…earn enough “clean and legal” money to turn legit.”
The film opens with the grand plans of mafia don Frank Paterno (Sergio Castellitto). His family has a fortuitous opportunity to invest in a bridge that will connect Sicily with Italy. The Paternos, along with other families, will be major private investors and, in return, earn enough “clean and legal” money to turn legit. Paterno has two sons, the oldest of whom is Giaco (Donny Falsetti), who is second-in-line to take over the family business.
The other family is the Gamache led by its patriarch (Gilbert Sicotte), a tailor who provided suits for the Paternos for over ten years. His children include his daughter (Mylène Mackay), and his loose-cannon son Vincent “Vince” (Marc-André Grondin). Vince is the black sheep of the family, who at a young age, offers his services and loyalty to Frank Paterno. Both Vince and Giaco would grow up as close brothers, while the gap with his real family widens. While the bridge deal is forming, Vince is in Venezuela devising a plan to ship thousands of dollars in narcotics to Montreal using a bus accident and the bodies of dead children as his mules.
"…You’re going to root for him at times…but don’t forget, he’s a monster."
Agree on everything you’ve written. And for me the actor’s performance (Grondin and Sergio Castellitto) were so impressive. Your commentary “…You’re going to root for him at times…but don’t forget, he’s a monster.” is exactly what I felt throughout the movie and gave it (for me) that particular feeling of uneasiness (can you say “dirty”?) that is, I think the point of the movie.
I felt sorry for the people who made the movie, the actors, the editor, director. To me it was a real flop.
I love Mafia movies, but it was very disturbing regarding the bus full of young soccer players, and the way the drugs were transported. Over the top torture scenes also.