Review: Gomorrah (Italy, 2008)

Directed by Matteo Garrone. Starring Toni Servillo, Salvatore Cantalupo, Gianfelice Imparato

You might think there would be nothing more to say about the culture of organised crime in Italy. Gomorrah manages to inject a little vitality into the gangster flick and come at it from a slightly different angle. Its five stories look at the effect of the mafia on the the grassroots level of society in Naples. It paints a squalid and depressing picture.

Don Ciro's job is to pay families affiliated with the mob who have members in prison. As the situation in his neighbourhood deteriorates, he has trouble identifying who he should be loyal to. When he decides he wants out, he discovers in no uncertain terms that he has to 'buy his life'. Toto is a mere thirteen-year-old boy who is seduced by the glamour of gangster life. He ends up having to make a life and death decision which will affect those close to him. Pasquale is a tailor who decides to moonlight at a Chinese-run clothing factory with drastic results. Two small-time hoods, Marco and Ciro, get ideas above their station, ripping off drug dealers and stealing an arms cache. And finally, there's Franco who runs a toxic waste disposal business and employs new graduate Roberto, whose eyes are opened to the reality of the world.

If all of this sounds confusing, it's not that difficult to follow in the film. All the stories are affecting to some extent. That was the problem for me. I wanted a bit more depth. Any of these stories could have been developed into a full length feature without sacrificing the potency of the story. Perhaps it would have worked better as a mini-series where the stories could have had time to breathe and open out. Still, it's a refreshing antidote to many Hollywood films which manage to condemn the Mob, while glorifying the lifestyle. The last shot of the film is bleak and lingers in the memory, whatever your opinion of the characters involved.

This movie had a run in arthouse cinemas earlier this year and was widely praised. It is a good film, though maybe not the classic it has been breathlessly deemed in some circles. Still, it's worth a look. The Naples tourist authority certainly won't be promoting it anytime soon.

The DVD contains an interview with director Matteo Garrone by David Stratton from ABC1's AT THE MOVIES, deleted scenes, 5 STORIES: a 60-minute making-of documentary , an interview with author Roberto Saviano, cast interviews and the theatrical trailer. It is released in Australia by Madman Entertainment.