Director: Kevin Connolly
Year Released: 2018
Rating: 1.0
Bland biopic about the dodgy 'career' of John J. Gotti (John Travolta), who worked the Gambino crime family (out of New York City) and spent time in and out of prison - there to follow in his murky footsteps is his son, John A. (Spencer Lofranco). Anytime someone makes a movie about the Mafia the gloomy, overpowering spectre of Martin Scorsese and The Sopranos looms overhead, and this is neither clever nor unique enough to make itself a notable entry in the mob canon - people get bumped off here and there but it's difficult to care much since the movie never does a suitable job of letting you know who anyone is and why they matter (even a recreation of a famous hit on Paul Castellano outside Sparks Steak House is treated rather dryly by Connolly). Travolta's performance is on-point (he even wore some of Gotti's clothes and accessories!) but the movie's not sure how to treat its subject: with dark reverence? with disdain? 'At least he never killed innocent people' ... well, I'm not sure that's how you should look at it at all....
