Customer Reviews

Gomorrah [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Gomorrah was one of the old testament cities judged and laid waste by God on the grounds of it's sin and corruption.

Scampia is a district in contemporary Naples.

At first glance, the council estate in Scampia on which the majority of Matteo Garrone's "Gomorrah" takes place appears to be your usual raffish, rough-around-the-edges melting pot of low income families, wannabes, try-hards and dreamers: there's Toto, who works as a delivery boy for his mother's grocery store; Pasquale, who works as the lead tailor in a factory which creates high-end fashion designs; Roberto who, after years of unemployment has just managed to land a prestigious job with a councilor, Franco, and is in the process of learning the ropes; Ciro, who, at first glance, appears to be a kindly, middle-aged building manager who looks after the welfare of families on the estate; then there are Marco and Ciro, two bored teenagers who spend their days imitating Al Pacino in "Scarface" and getting into trouble. However, before the final percussive strains of the film's minimalist soundtrack play out over some devastatingly well-placed captions which detail the current reach of contemporary organised crime, the comparisons between the corrupt old testament city-state and the contemporary housing estate will have been made explicit in the most visceral way possible and the viewer will observe just how corruption and criminality insinuates its way into virtually every level of Neapolitan society (as well as every one of the previously mentioned characters' lives).

The lexicon of modern cinema has inculcated contemporary audiences with a fascination of all things Mafiosi (or "Camorra" as the Neapolitan organisation is known). Cinematic short-hand has bombarded us with a fictionalized, glamourous world of sleek suits, pearl-handled revolvers and witty profanity. "Gomorrah", although a work of fiction, is not concerned with screen artifice or the rewards reaped by crime; it is explicitly concerned with those who have to live under the yoke and suffer the consequences of organised crime's insinuation into every level of private and public life.

If you want to see what a world ruled by Tony Soprano or Vito Corleone would really look like, then look no further. But believe me, its not pretty. And there is very little in the way of "honour" to be seen here.

Garrone eschews the grandiose operatic flourishes of a Scorsese or a Coppola and instead favours a laconic, naturalistic tone which resembles the Neo-Realism of Rossellini's, Open City. Many of the film's scenes have an almost improvised quality to them which only compounds the frighteningly realistic nature of the film. Garrone doesn't spoon-feed the plot or the relationships between the characters to you and, depending on how eagle-eyed you are, it may take you a fair deal of time to ascertain just 'what is what' and 'who is who to whom'. Make no bones about it - this is not a film to be watched whilst surfing the internet on your mobile phone; this is a film to which you must pay full attention.

An epic in every sense of the world and probably the best big-screen feature ever made about the Mafia/Camorra, I recommend it unreservedly.

It makes an ideal companion piece to Roberto Saviano's expose of the Neapolitan crime syndicates, which I haven't read, but which apparently provided the film's inspiration, as well as the more conventionally told, but similarly brilliant tale of the Milanese Mafia, Romanzo criminale / Crime Novel (Original Italian Version - with English Subtitles), and Ricky Tognazzi's chilling examination of a group of "sitting-duck" Police Bodyguards, La Scorta.

I read Roberto Saviano's nonfiction expose on the Cammora crime syndicate and the Naples crime scene in general. Hearing about that a movie was being adapted I was interested to see how the film would take a very dense nonfiction work and turn it into film. Hence Gomorrah released by IFC- which thankfully started VOD distribution which is how I saw the film. The film as it is, is an unflinching portrayl of crime, like Gillo Pontecorvo's seminal Battle of Algiers or City of God shot on location, mixing actors and non-actors ( or in the case of some actors actual Camorra associates). It is not romantic or action packed. It is however good at mixing the facts of Saviano's book into largely fictionalized plotlines as it follows five stories from Don Ciro, a bagman who delivers money to family members of jailed criminals, to Franco a ruthless businessman who does whatever it takes to aquire land for companies to dump toxic waste. Outside of those theres Pasquale working at crafting counterfit clothes, one of the biggest jobs near the port of Naples. And then theres the story of youths Toto who's been initiated into a gang and Marco and Ciro, two wannabe gangsters who wave guns around angering actual gangsters. The story of the two kids was one of the more lasting stories of Saviano's book and smartly ends the film.

Like I said the major accomplisment of the movie is taking the facts of the book and portraying them onto film. The movie as it is isn't for those weened on Scarface or The Wire. Its more an uncompromising, realistic, depiction of crime and the effect it has on people. The actors are naturalistic and good with the standout being Toni Servilo as Franco. Mostly though the filmmakers and writers are the reason the movie works making an unromanticized crime film. They obviously wanted to respect Saviano's sacrifice and they've done so. If theres one thing to say against it most might not like the films tone. In its attempt to be as realistic as possible respecting their subject, not a whole lot happens in the film action wise which is why it has been called boring by some. The characters in my opinion and their journey from begining to end were interesting but thats me. Others might not like the film for that fact, something stressed by the films need for realism. Outside of that the film, and Saviano's book are an interesting combination in my opinon.

The film might not be for everyone but for those who want an unflinching view of crime this is the film to see, one that will be marked as a classic in the future in my opinion. I'm glad Criterion picked up the film for home release even though I have not seen the finished product. With them releasing it for home markets I'm sure the DVD will have a great mix of features that wouldn't be put on other releases. Can't wait to see it.

Now that I've seen the disc I have to say the picture is absolutely fantastic. I've never had a bad experience and Criterions release of this recent film is absolutely amazing in terms of audio/visual quality making me wonder how it would look on Blu-Ray in comparision. The extras are pretty good with a load of interviews. Interviews with Matteo Garrone and Toni Servillo are lengthy dialogues recorded especially for Criterion. Most of the other materials were ported from other editions of the movie. Theres an hour long making of documentary, deleted scenes, interviews with Servillo and several other actors and best of all a nearly hour long interview with Author Roberto Saviano who imparts a lot of information from his book. While the movie covered topics Saviano seeks to cover a lot of facts and for anyone who hasn't read his book its an interesting segment. If you're a fan of the movie Criterion definitely delivered the version to own whether it be in Standard or Blu.

Italian movie that comes out in the States in 2009. It reminds me of 'Traffic', the way that it tells the story of a scourge that infiltrates society at all levels. In 'Traffic', it was drugs. In 'Gomorrah', the problem is the mafia, and it's control over the slums of Naples. It shows corruption at all levels - governmental, business, and even how the youth get corrupted at such a young age. There are several overlapping storylines, and while it can be a little difficult to follow at times, it's worth the effort. The best foreign movie I've seen since this year, and one of the year's best overall.

The polished portrayal and slight glorification of the workings of the criminal underworld has been dramatized in movies such as "The Godfather" and in the hit HBO smash "The Sopranos". Director Matteo Garrone's "Gomorrah" is a film based on the novel by Roberto Saviano that identifies events very similar to historical ones compared to the Scampia feud. This Italian crime saga attempts to dispense of the lure of glory, riches and power by presenting an undaunted look at the inner dealings of the Camorra crime organization.

The film is a collection of intertwining tales of the different people from different walks of life. The lives of a grocery delivery boy who wants to get a taste of criminal life, a tailor who has connections with the criminal underworld, two cocky teenagers who dream of becoming crime lords, two working business men who make their profit in dumping toxic waste and a man who distributes cash; all these people struggle to make ends meet all the while being influenced by the mob whether directly or indirectly. They try to make their reputation and money under the shadow of the Camorra.

Matteo Garrone's film may hold some similarities to the crime epic "City of God" with the manner he shoots his film. The film's look and atmosphere exude that very realistic and gritty feel that sidesteps the polished look that mainstream audiences have gotten used to over the years. The film's focused is five intertwined stories that exposes different corrupting and seductive elements that can affect the young naïve mind. The film is a powerful look on the destructive effects of the corrupt, the greedy and the callous activities encouraged by this criminal network.

The film goes into the beginnings of a criminal in the personas of the two teenagers, Marco and Ciro (Marco Macor and Ciro Petrone) and Toto (Salvatore Abruzzese), the 13-year old delivery boy who gets a taste of the lifestyle; while one ending abruptly and the other showing its advancements. The tailor, Pasquale (Salvatore Cantalupo) and the cash dealer, Don Ciro (Gianfelice Imparato) are timid individuals who many may say that they are `stuck' with their situation. Roberto (Carmine Paternoster) is young man who works for Franco (Tony Servillo) who dumps illegal waste on unused patches of land for the sake of making huge amounts of profit. Garrone brings his observational perspective in his fragmented style filmmaking that just brings his viewers into the world of the mob in the beginning, the present and the future of its many dealings. It is a bleak and unflinching vision as to what the Camorra has done to Italy that threatens to wring every cent off its citizens.

The film's dialogue is accompanied by the use of incredible close-ups to bring the film's emotions right into the face of the viewer. I thought this was a very clever move for Garrone to bring us into the depths of conversations that gives the viewer a feeling of `being there'. The film starts off on a high note with a mob hit then it takes a slower pace as we see Marco and Ciro imitating "Scarface", Don Ciro going about his daily routine and so forth. The film is a little bit of a slow burn, the energy slowly exudes from its slow build up and lets the scenes come about naturally. "Gomorrah" is very realistic so expect no polished use of colors, style and elaborate visual manipulation, the film is as straight-forward as it can be with its portrayal. The film has a fair share of violence and the more I thought about it, it may not be as disturbing as to how the violence is all connected under one strong inevitable force of nature.

The performances in the film are very good. Marco Macor and Ciro Petrone almost takes the show as they represent the raw stupidity fueled by sheer cockiness that turns them into outcasts of society. They are power hungry (they want to be Tony Montana) and mad for blood, as they wish to make their reputation. Toto (played by Abruzzese) gets a taste of mob life through his own set of rules, not by making waves but through obedience and respect; the young actor manages to bring forth a likeable yet so disturbing personality in the film's script. The recent under-grad , Roberto (played by Paternoster) represents something unnerving as even sensible, level-headed individuals can be dragged into illegal activities when the situation presents itself. Much as the film goes into the other dealings of the Camorra, I thought the manner with which Garrone brings the `youthful' perspective into play is the film's main strength; the young people are after all, any nation's future.

"Gomorrah" sidesteps any glamorization of the criminal underworld and unrelentingly paints a very real `truth'. The film is a powerful anti-mob movie, and while it does take some inspiration from glamorous Hollywood mob films such as "Scarface" and "Good Fellas", it educates us with its raw unflinching message. It doesn't give us a reason to see `crime' as something necessary or a lifestyle, but provokes a thought and a reaction with the bleakness of its premise. It paints a painful reality that when Garrone closes his film, I was awed with the fact that these intertwined stories were touched upon by truth. The film is a gut-wrenching crime drama that packs a lot of visceral punch. Garrone makes it even more powerful with its realistic natural-looking visuals that almost looks like a documentary. Compelling, haunting and brutally realistic, Matteo Garrone's "Gomorrah" nicely blends brutal violence, melodrama and art house sensibilities that it earns a highly recommended rating from me.

Highly Recommended! [4+ Stars]

Criterion boasts of a very nice if grainy 2.35 ratio anamorphic widescreen that was shot intentionally to look a little dirty to capture a realistic feel. The 5.1 Dolby Digital Italian track is very powerful as it captures the gunfire and the noises of water very nicely. Subtitles are excellent.

The book, Gomorrah by Roberto Saviano, is one of the best books I've read in recent years. It is a tremendous expose of the organized crime system in Italy and Europe.

The movie leaves out so much of the connecting story that without having read the book in advance I don't think this movie would have made much sense to me. I do not speak Italian so I had to rely on the subtitles to follow the dialog and plot. Perhaps that is why I believe the movie would be incomprehensible to me if I hadn't read the book first.

Having said that, it is a well made film and the action keeps it moving along. But the book goes much further and will provide you muuch more enlightenment about the Comorra crime families.

Gomorra is based on Roberto Saviano's 2006 book of the same name, an expose on the criminal syndicate of Naples, but with a very personal element to the story. The book read something like an extended personal essay about how crime permeates nearly every aspect of society in modern-day Naples, especially the depressing concrete suburbs that are home to the world's largest open-air drug market. Hailed as exceptionally brave, the book prompted death threats to the author, who has since lived under 24-hour police protection.

The cinematic version of the film completely removes Saviano's personal story, though this does not harm the impact of the film. In fact, this is one of the most impressive looks at a modern crime organization I've ever seen, and it's easily one of the grimmest. Both book and film should be read and watched by anyone interested in true crime or wanting to know anything about the realities of modern-day Italy.

The film is broken into five separate stories that are ultimately connected, underscoring the criminal underworld's influence on every sector of society. The proceedings will be a bit confusing to those not familiar with the source, since nothing is immediately explained. Over time, as the stories jump around, the conflicts emerge. The plot lines are as follows: a young man begins to apprentice with a businessman who makes deals to dump garbage and toxic waste all over the Italian countryside; a young boy begins his career as a young Camorra gopher and lookout; an older gentleman delivers money to the widows and families of jailed Camorra associates until a shooting war breaks out; a talented tailor risks his life as he begins sharing his secrets with the Chinese tradesmen who comprise his competition; and two young, Scarface-obsessed teen wannabe gangsters decide to make their mark as they run afoul of the local mobsters. Saviano is nowhere to be seen, though his personal observations and obsessions are woven into every story.

While many crime films inevitably glorify their subjects to some degree, Gomorra is hardly a glamorous portrait of the concrete suburbs of Naples, which bear more than a passing resemblance to troubled American housing projects and inner-city ghettos. It is a grim and troubling place that may change one's opinion of European civility for some time. The stark style---real locations, natural life, real locals---underscores a desperate, cannibalistic society where crime is simply a way of doing business, and nobody even enjoys the spoils. Rather than having a Mafia/Cosa Nostra-type structure, the Camorra is a clan-based business society of sorts where everything and everyone has a price, 'rules' are few and far between, and violence is the easy cure for any conflict. Even the sides on the shooting wars are completely murky since nobody can be trusted. All anyone can agree on is that there needs to be some killing. The desperation of the environment dictates there be an endless supply of wannabes who hope to distinguish themselves amid the drab concrete landscape.

There is little to none of the 'honor' and 'loyalty' that American Mafia films try to depict. In fact, this society has tossed those considerations out the window. The 'dons' here do not sit in wood-paneled studies, considering the loyalty and respect of friends while spouting aphorisms. In fact, they are never seen. Rather, the street-level powers dress like gangster rappers, have a taste for gaudy jewelry, and have no qualms about putting a bullet in anyone's head---man, woman, or child. This is not Scorsese, or Coppola, or the Sopranos, with signature flourishes and well-coordinated soundtracks underscoring the nefarious activity. Gomorra is a bleak, gray world where everything, literally, is touched in a figurative or physical way by crime. The countryside is poisoned, the people live in terror, the authorities have minimal success combating the plague, and the aspirations of many of the young generation are limited to becoming the next bagmen, triggermen or body bag inhabitant. One of the most powerful moments does not involve a mob hit or any blood, but rather highlights the rather depressing origins of one of those sparkling gowns star actresses wear to the Oscars.

Highly recommended film. It was snubbed for Oscar consideration, perhaps because we need 'nice' foreign movies to consider. This may blow your conceptions of European life out the door, and of course, it's a living story as the Italian authorities attempt to chip away at the worldwide power of the Camorra and everything they touch. Gomorra is even opens with a warning about tanning beds! The Criteria Collection release is very welcome for a new film. Previous reviewers noted that the advertized Amazon product was not NTSC / US-compatible, though this has been corrected.

I love this movie. It's not like anything I have ever seen. Not just mob style movies but any kind of movie in general. Being older now, I enjoy learning experiences and this is done in an almost documentary style which is right up my alley. I love the Godfather and Goodfellas but I think Gomorrah goes to another level. I think the acting was great/different as well. You are almost led to believe that the actors didn't know they were being filmed. I loved that. I can understand why some found it boring at times. Maybe if I was younger I wouldn't have liked it as much. Whether you like it or not, it's one of those movies you have to see.

If you do have trouble following the movie, the extras explain everything.

This movie is a shocking experience for a lover of the beautiful, romantic and classically tasteful Italy - which of course is a tourists naive perception of Europe's former fascist but always charming bad boy - bella Italia. Italy is also dirty, violent and full of fear and oppression, orchestrated by incompetent politicians and intellectuals scared and running (as the author of the novel that the script is based on). The working class has given up on job prospects and deal in dope and death. Blocks of apartments function as fortresses for the underclass mob soldiers. Two young kids are our fix points and we follow an actual hand full of main characters in a web of stories - a style developed by the late master director, Robert Altman. In 'Gomorrah' we learn that from the bottom to the top, Napoli/Italy/Europe seems entangled in crime, drugs and corruption. An early, ugly death is always right around the corner - illegal guns (for hire) are everywhere. As is toxic waste, worth it's price in gold if you can get it 'disposed of' - and no problem, the mafia will do the job, complete with child labor, illegal immigrants and smooth talk, with a threat lurking right underneath the surface. Master acting takes place here, some of the best actors around do great work in this movie! Young and old. Another story shows beauty unfold in the haute couture and T-shirt section of this old, industrial city Naples in decay and simultaneous transformation, yet still ruled by almost prehistoric brutality and cynicism. One of Italy's core industries, clothes production, is being taken over by Chinese immigrant factories - here we see the consequences... from the innocent boy and the sublime but exploited tailor to the lowest, psychopathic killer - the 'Camorra' - Napoli's deep rooted mafia dynasty/network of families - control everything!

Fantastic interview disc is extremely informative and adds tremendously to this package. Totally worth the time and money (the movie is not for the kids and it's loooong, yet not a minute too long, so set aside a whole evening, send the children to bed early - and then enjoy). This film's images and themes keep popping up in the mind, weeks after you watch it - it's really grabs you and won't let go... so I do not hesitate recommending it highly. A true masterpiece!

Ulrik Rosenstand

Denmark

This is actually a very good movie about the mafia. Not glamorized like The Godfather, etc. My son really was into the whole "mafia" scene. This really opened up his mind about the mob. Very accurate and interesting movie.

Blu-Ray Review

Movie: 4/5 Video Quality: 4.5/5 Audio Quality: 5/5 Extras: 5/5 Overall: 4.6/5 (rounded up in total star ranking)

"Gomorrah," a movie about the Camorra crime organization, has received so much praise and hype that I had to give it a blind-buy. I can't say that I found it totally exciting and coherent, but it is notable and well worth watching.

The movie features five different storylines that are intertwined, almost to the point of becoming a montage. Each story features characters that are very genuine, with impeccable acting and writing. Despite the movie's pacing and structure, there are a number of fascinating and insightful scenes; it is especially notable for showing the Camorra's relationship between itself and the people around it, while maintaining a gritty realistic flavor. There is some bloody violence; it is neither overly glorified nor overly condemned, for like the movie as a whole it remains objective and unflinching. Cameramanship is documentary-style, with lots of handheld movements, but there are never any shots that are overly chaotic. Production design (sets, props, costumes, locations) is excellent, for it appears distinctive and genuine. Music is interesting.

This disc has excellent quality. The video is very sharp and clean, with excellent color and contrast. Film grain is pretty heavy; some darker scenes may appear noisier than other scenes, but it is very good-looking for the most part. Sound quality is decent (DTS-HD MA 5.1). This movie is in Italian only with English subtitles. Includes a number of extras (documentaries, deleted scenes, trailers, etc). My copy came in a clear plastic case.