The film 'The Alto Knights' features Robert De Niro performing dual roles as real-life gangsters Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. While there have been successful instances of actors taking multiple parts in a film, in this case, it appears to be more of a casting stunt which leads to the film’s fall from grace. From its themes to casting, 'The Alto Knights' seems like a repeated formula, even its original title, 'Wise Guys,' reflects a sense of familiarity.
The screenplay written by Nicholas Pileggi tries to explore an intriguing story, detailing the tumultuous relationship between gangsters and ex-friends Costello and Genovese. However, the screenplay fails to captivate with its bland narration style which seems to resemble more of a monotonous monologue. Despite the interesting depiction of each character, with Costello portrayed as a refined gentleman masking his criminal activities with charity and a respectable façade, and Genovese as a vengeful brute using violent methods to achieve his ends, the film struggles to achieve a captivating narrative.
The film includes numerous archival footage and photographs to present a detailed history, but often feels dragged out due to its talkative nature. The inclusion of numerous events, however, lack the captivating intensity that a mob film demands, making 'The Alto Knights' feel like a chopped television series rather than a powerful cinematic experience.
The most disheartening aspect is De Niro’s dual role, what should have been a selling point ends up undermining the seriousness of the movie. Despite De Niro’s commendable attempt at distinguishing the characters, the implementation feels gimmicky and detracts from the intended impact of the film. Thus, 'The Alto Knights' appears to be more of an anticlimax in both its director Barry Levinson and star Robert Deniro’s illustrious careers.
