The Family Review

Robert De Niro in a mob movie, who saw that coming?

What happens when a mafia family man turns on the mob? I'll tell you what happens, a great movie is what happens. From Luc Besson, the director of classics such as Leon: The Professional and The Fifth Element, comes this dark comedy starring legends like Robert De Niro, Michelle Phieffer, and Tommy Lee Jones. The film centers around Giovanni Manzoni, a notorious mobster, who turns on the mob and joins witness protection. The film starts off with Gio and his family moving to Normandy, France. In which we soon learn that old habits die hard. With Tommy Lee Jones keeping the eccentric family in line, they all try to adapt to the move and the code-switch. Being a huge fan of mafia movies and even a bigger fan of Robert De Niro, I was very excited by this movie's potential. Over the last several years, De Niro has starred in worthless pieces of garbage like Righteous Kill, Machete, New Years Eve, The Big Wedding, Little Fockers, the list could go on. Lately, there is a glimmer of hope for his career. After his Oscar nomination for the excellent Silver Linings Playbook, and his upcoming reunion with director David O'Russell in American Hustle. And this movie continues that hope. I came into this movie with very high expectations. I had a lot of faith in director Luc Besson and the plot seemed intriguing. Not overly original, but intriguing none the less. 

The ensemble in this movie is fantastic. From the classic actors like Michelle Phieffer and Tommy Lee Jones, to the breakout stars such as Jon D'Leo, the cast worked together marvelously. Even though the movie was filled with great Oscar-Winning/Nominated actors, it was still Dianna Agron who stole the show in my eyes. She really proved that she can act with the best of them, and she's defiantly not hard on the eyes. The only real complaint I have for this movie was the pacing. I get that The Family is a dark comedy, making it not an extremely orthodox piece of storytelling. But the speed and tone of the movie was flabbergasting at times. At first the movie is an incredibly slow drama, then it is a marginally slow family comedy, leading to a fast-paced, action-packed climax. While all parts were enjoyable to watch, it is still strange to observe that transition. Besides the tone, everything else in this movie worked for me. The character development was great and refreshing to watch seeing as how that is the key element missing from the biggest disappointments this year; disappointments such as Man of Steel, R.I.P.D., and Lone Ranger. Overall, The Family is an interesting, satisfying dark comedy filled with good performances, good action, and left me with a feeling a glee (no pun intended) in my heart. Robert De Niro, keep this up. Final Rating- B