Product Details

• Actors: Armand Assante, William Forsythe, Richard C. Sarafian, Frank Vincent, Anthony Quinn
• Directors: Robert Harmon
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Hbo Home Video
• VHS Release Date: January 13, 1998
• Run Time: 117 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6304285116
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #27,738 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #29 in	Video > Television > HBO > Based on a True Story
  #93 in	Video > Mystery & Suspense > Crime > Gangsters

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

A very impressive treatment of the rise and fall of New York crime boss John Gotti, this made-for-TV movie succeeds in large measure because of the outstanding work of Armand Assante (I, The Jury, Mambo Kings) as Gotti. Assante creates a complex portrayal of a man loyal to the mob while struggling with personal demons and his own self-destructive ambitions. The film traces the dapper don's rise through the ranks of the Gambino crime family, first through the patronage of his mentor (Anthony Quinn) and then through a brazen assassination of the Gambino boss. Eventually Gotti's world crashes around him as his arrogance over beating the government at trial and his thirst for the limelight causes a rift with his right-hand man, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano (William Forsythe). Gotti boasts terrific New York City locales and a truly impressive cast, including standout work by Forsythe and Quinn. But it's Assante's movie all the way, and he makes the most out of a larger than life character by making him seem no more, and no less, than human and flawed. --Robert Lane

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars decent acting, but complete fiction, October 7, 2003

By	James Rothschadl (Arlington, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gotti (DVD)

I give the movie 2 stars because I think Armande Aassante did a decent job portraying Gotti (although he wasn't ruthless enough, I'm sure he just did what he was told) the guy who played Sammy G was good too but his height was totally off (the real Sammy was shorter than Gotti). All that aside, the movie was complete fiction. Although this movie painted a favourable picture of Gotti, I think Gotti himself would have disliked it because it was so off. Major and minor facts in this movie are completely off. A few examples.. This movie shows Gotti meeting Sammy when Carlo Gambino was boss, and Gotti went to Carlo's apartment where he met Sammy and was ordered to do the hit in retaliation for Carlo's nephew's kidnapping. In reality, Sammy wasn't even associated with the Gambino family until after Carlo died.. before that, he was in the columbo family and he switched to the gambino family because of an internal dispute.. He was made under Paul Castellano, as was Gotti. Aside from that, it would be highly irregular for an unmade man to meet the Boss at all, let alone at his house.. Unmade men are required to communicate with the boss through the made guy that vouches for them. Also, Sammy had only met Carlo once, and that was just briefly at a party. Another major error was Gotti's relationship with Angie after Angie got caught on tape and brought major heat on his whole crew for the drug charges.. After that happened and Gotti gained power he wanted to whack Angie out, but people clsoe to Gotti strongly advised him against it. Gotti NEVER went to see Angie in the hospital when he had cancer, despite the fact that he'd known him since they were kids. Gotti took away all Angie's power, and Angie died alone and with no dignitiy. Gotti wouldn't have even gone to the funeral if other people in the family didn't drag him there to keep up appearances. I think the real Gotti would have been angry with the way they showed his relationship with Angie, he told everyone of his discontent with Angie after the tapes. There are many many major and minor fact and timeline glitches that make this movie frusterating to watch if you are familiar with the real events/timelines. I see NO reason at all for getting these details wrong, it could have been ever more of an interesting movie if they would have stuck to the facts and put in different aspects of the story. They could have shown more of the courtroom drama that led to his "Teflon Don" reputation. Some of the aspects of the trial Giacalone brought against him were really classic, and completely out there ... I could go on and on.. This movie is one case where hollywood has no justification for having their facts totally off.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Gotti, August 23, 2006

By	Anthony Quinzio - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Gotti (DVD)

The movie had its moments some of the dialogue was hard to understand but the acting was fine. Assante and Quinn both were very good in their roles. It's worth buying if your into mafia movies.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, March 20, 2006

By	Just Another Opinion (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gotti (DVD)

For those who enjoy "mob movies" (as I do), this is one of the best. Armand Assante turns in an outstanding performance in the title role, supported by a superb cast, including Anthony Quinn as Gambino family underboss Aniello Dellacroce, Gotti's mob mentor. It is well-scripted, beautifully acted, and highly entertaining. Don't miss it!