Crime Novel (Romanzo Criminale) - Italian Crime Drama DVD [Region 2, PAL Format] - Perfect for Movie Nights & Foreign Film Collections

Great film, very compelling story. The actors were fantastic. But I have to say, I enjoyed la series more. Maybe because it had more details.Would highly recommend. Italian crime movies never disappoint.Romanzo criminale is about the start of a gang, the members: the Lebanese, the leader, who shows his ability to negotiate, of course in the "mafia" way: if they're not your friends, they're enemies...Dandy, the one who lives in fashion, he goes to the best parties, wears the best clothes, and, of course, has a beautiful girl, despite the fact that she's actually a prostitute.Fredo (Ice) honors his nickname. The coldest of them, he's intelligent and calculates everything. Of course he has a weak side: his girlfriend, a tutor, who knows nothing about his real life and she finds out in the worst way...The film is about 2 hours and half long, but it's really catchy that no one notices it. Great plot, amazing actors, and the music just how it says in the backcover of the dvd: sounds like if it came out from Scorsese's itunes!Entertaining, action-filled picture of Italian youths fated to become criminals. Gutsy, respectful of the real history of its era. A lot of fun.I never had seen a movie that shows you the real colors of the Italian mafia. It gives and understanding how Italian politics and mafia mix together to attain their own benefits. It's truly a mixture of The Godfather and Scarface put together in a blender to get Romanzo Criminale.I enjoy Italian movies and this one was very interesting.a great mob movieI was extremely disappointed!! I ordered this film in the Italian movie section, and it came dubbed in French with English subtitles. I feel that I was totally misinformed- I was looking for an Italian speaking film.Masterpiece'Crime Novel' is a much missed and less known Italian gangster story, with some nice bits of action and drama in a TV styled movie epic.Childhood friends (with their chosen nicknames Ice, Lebanese and Dandy) grow up together and form a large crime gang, vowing to take over Rome with organised crime (through gambling, drugs and prostitution).This gang grows, gets guns and develops a nice tidy set-up, but is being hunted by determined police. One of the main three falls for a prostitute (as also does a detective). The story builds up to feuds, distrust, scamming and ultimately a deadly finale of gangster extravaganza.The film is 2.5 hours, slick, 60's styled, racy, rude and violent. It obviously nods to and is influenced by The Godfather trilogy, Goodfellas and should please fans of other such gang and gangster driven titles (Mesrine, 36 etc). It is foreign, world cinema but in a more tale like fashion, rather than dramatic action or entertainment.The film is so popular in Italy they created a spin-off TV series. It is NOT a Mafia film, as the gang is on a more smaller scale, telling an unconventional tale about 3 boys growing to men through 3 decades.I would recommend this to film fans (especially world cinema) but warn it is long, demanding, light in drama and history, but rewardingly slick and likeable.This is an interesting film that weaves real life stories in with the lives of these Italian gangsters.They are recruited by the Government to find Aldo Moro in 1978 who had been kidnapped by the Red Brigades.They are later caught up in the Bologna train station bomb in 1980 which was carried out by a neo-fascist group.It's exciting and engaging throughout the 2 hrs 30 mins with subtitles.Based on the true story of an infamous band of Italian criminals.A thoroughly absorbing and potent film, the cast and producers have created a film that should be seen by anyone who considers themselves a fan of the gangster movie.Following the rise and fall of a street gang that took over organised crime in Rome in the 70s, 80s and 90s, this movie interweaves history, politics and fiction in an epic tale of ambition and betrayal.It's a long film, but you won't notice that. Some of the acting leaves a little to be desired, but you will overlook that. Even some of the directing is a little clunky, but the sheer passion and pace of the story will keep you watching. There are plenty of surprises, and some unexpected - and well executed - humorous parts, and the violence is visceral and no more than you would expect in a story about organised crime.Well worth watching.Well worth buying for three pounds I purchased this after watching the tv series on sky arts hd I should have watched this first because I'd already loved the characters In the tv series and it took a while to warm to these ones . In any event it's one to watch