The Alto Knights

The Alto Knights

A Depressing Reminder of a Dead Genre

★★½☆☆

A throwback that unintentionally confirms the age of the Mafia film is truly over.

Directed by Barry Levinson, The Alto Knights attempts to turn back the clock to the golden era of gangster cinema. However, the film often feels like a parody of itself, struggling with tired stereotypes and heightened dialogue. Despite the high-concept hook of Robert De Niro playing dual roles, the project serves more as a vanity showcase than a meaningful contribution to the genre.

"The stark digital look makes the characters look like they are all playing pretend and dressing up as gangsters for Halloween or a costume party."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Film Details

• Director: Barry Levinson
• Starring: Robert De Niro (as Vito Genovese & Frank Costello)
• Writer: Nicholas Pileggi (Goodfellas, Casino)
• Cinematography: Digital / High Definition

The Technical Mismatch

The film’s digital photography does the genre a significant disservice. Mafia stories traditionally require the texture and grain of 35mm film to feel authentic; here, the clean digital look unintentionally highlights de-aging makeup and makes the production feel like a television sitcom. While it isn't "poorly made," it stands as a depressing reminder that the industry has pivoted away from the gritty, criminal character studies of the 70s and 90s.

💡 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Pileggi Connection: The script was written by legendary author Nicholas Pileggi, the man behind the source material for Goodfellas and Casino.
• De Niro's Legacy: This marks another collaboration in the twilight of De Niro's career focusing on his Mafia roots, following The Irishman.
• Dual Role: De Niro portrays both rival mob bosses, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, who were real-life figures in the mid-20th century.

✅ Pros

• De Niro earns the right to revisit the genre he helped define.
• Competent direction from veteran Barry Levinson.
• Interesting historical context involving mid-century mob rivalry.

❌ Cons

• Stark digital photography lacks the necessary cinematic texture.
• Stereotypical characters and "painfully reminiscent" dialogue.
• Dual casting adds very little to the actual narrative.

🏆 Final Verdict

The Alto Knights should likely mark the end of the period gangster film. Unless someone can contribute a unique perspective, the genre feels exhausted—a costume party for a style of filmmaking that has moved on.

View original review on Letterboxd