Mafioso
User Score
7.9 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7

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  1. JohnA.
    Jan 29, 2007
    10
    Hilarious and powerful, this movie got under my skin. The more I think about it, the more I'm impressed. Alberto Sordi is unforgettable. I look forward to seeing it again -- hope for a quick DVD release.
  2. AndrewK.
    May 27, 2007
    7
    I will admit that I am a child of the nineties, and so my attention span is not great. But I love old films and I always try to be more patient with their slower pace. There were points in this film where I wondered if I'd be able to make it through, but something would always come along to shake my boredom. Some very funny bits with the family, especially Nino's sister with the mustache. I was surprised then at how dramatic it became toward the end. As has been said in the reviews above, the director is somehow able to transition from comedy to suspense. Alberto Sordi is great. I'd never heard of him before. He definitely reminded me of Peter Sellers (not just because he bares a somewhat similar physical appearance). This was a great film, but I doubt many young people like myself will be able to sit through it. One of the coolest parts of this film is when Nino ends up in America and he's being driven through the city. The towering skyscrapers look beautiful and are coupled with perfect music. Go see this one if you enjoy broadening your horizons.… Expand
  3. Hawke2020
    Sep 22, 2012
    2
    This film was shot in Italy and Sicily in 1962, and considering the wonderful reviews that it has received, I'm baffled as to why, even considering how long ago it was made. The acting , storyline, cinematography, all linked somewhat amateurishly together, resulted in a hodgepodge of scenes that did little to hold one's interest, much less be given critical acclaim. Even the ending, which presumably was intended to present an element of surprise, came across as a heavy-handed admonishment against accepting gratuities from powerful villains. The film evolved much like a sketchy storyline you could expect from a children's reader, which made the adult content seem so out of place. Simply a very unremarkable film in my estimation.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 21 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 21
  3. Negative: 0 out of 21
  1. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: David Edelstein
    80
    That's the beauty of Mafioso: that what begins as a comedy of disconnection becomes a tragicomedy of connection -- of roots that go deep and branches that span continents.
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  2. The New Yorker
    Reviewed by: Anthony Lane
    90
    Filmed in a hot and bleached black-and-white, it manages to swerve from culture-clashing farce to alarming suspense without losing control.
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  3. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: J. Hoberman
    80
    Alberto Lattuada's tricky-to-parse Mafioso dates from 1962 but, with its abrupt tonal shifts and disturbing existential premise, this nearly forgotten dark comedy could be the most modern (or at least modernist) movie in town.
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