The Alto Knights || The mafias

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The alto knights is one of those mafias movies that I would love to watch again. And this is because of the storyline of the movie. The movie , directed by Barry Levinson and written by Nicholas Pillegi, is a 2025 American crime drama and watching it has really given me pleasure and made my Easter holiday.

The Alto Knights is a kind of narrative movie. Though, as the narration was being done by the main character whose name is Frank Costello, so also it's being backed up with actions and music.

The movie has various characters who really played their roles to the fullest. Such characters include the two main characters of Frank and Vito, Albert, Anna, Bobbie and the like, I would not but mention the two pet dogs owned by Frank and his wife. Also, the kid that shot Frank in the head, whose name is Vincent Gigante a 28 year old guy is another character that acted his role perfectly.

The movie can be classified as an ancient movie that talks about the past. It's indeed a biographical crime movie, looking at the settings and the gadgets being used in the movie coupled with the movie's cinematography. One would know that it's a biographical movie telling us about what has happened between the two old friends that have been together since they were kids.

One can also see in the movie, so many themes which have to do with betrayal, corruption, killing, crimes, taking of narcotics, revenge, disloyalty, love, lying,hatred, cheating and a whole lot more.

THE SUMMARY/REVIEW:

The Alto Knights started with a criminal scene. It was a scene where Frank was being shot in the head by a mobster named Vincent. Though the identity of the mobster was not revealed at the initial stage, it's along the line that his name was given or made public for the audience to know.

So, after the gunshot at the elevator, Frank was rushed to the hospital and thank God he survived the assassination. At the hospital, he was treated and warned to stress himself after which he was discharged to go home. Though, he knew where the attack came from, but he did not make it open, which is quite one of those attributes I like about him. No wonder he has been called a diplomat by his childhood friend turned enemy, Vito.

Though, both Vito and Frank have made history together mostly in illegal dealings, and they have been seen and narrated in the movie together for so long. But at the latter part of their lives, they were being divided by their ideologies which set them against one another.

It's this their division in ideologies that led to Vito trying to seize power from Frank and this rivalry between both of them led to the death of Albert, who was a close ally to Frank. Albert was killed because of the leaked fact that he had been chosen as Frank's successor. When this fact and plan was revealed to Vito, he got him trailed and killed at a barber's shop. This kind of an act is a do or die act on the part of Vito who would not even consider the lives of others because of his ambition. This kind of an act can only be seen in a person that has lost his conscience to the devil.

Vito is a man that can do anything to attain power. He's a kind of person that would not even care what the end result of his action would be. No wonder he said he's a gangster in one of his discussions with Frank. He said “Frank, you're always being diplomatic, unlike me who's a gangster. "So, both are in contrast to each other. They have different characters and approach to life in the movie.

Also in the movie and after the back and forth that characterised the relationship between both men, Frank decided to step down, but still, Vito didn't trust his decision, even when Frank was so open about his decision, vito would still not believe him and it's as a result of this that Albert got killed. So, the death of Albert made Frank take the decision of finally calling for a meeting where he would hand over his position and power to his under boss who has not only been killing his allies, but also threatening the life of Frank and his wife.

But, as they were all gathered at the venue of the meeting at Apalachin, the smartness of Frank setting up the bosses, who are the head of the various families that made up the mafia's group and Vito by leaking everything about them, their licenses and number plate to the cops just to finish the whole menace at once, showed how he's willing to let go of his ego and pride with his position without putting anyone at risk again.

At the end, 20 of the bosses were arrested and sent to jail. Among them was Vito who was to be crowned the new leader of the mafia's group. He was arrested and sent to jail with his loyalist. And Frank at the end lived well afterwards to enjoy the rest of his life with his wife Bobbie.

It was in the epilogue that we were told that he died at age 82. What this portrayed is that, no peace for the wicked as can be seen in the life of Vito, who would do anything to get what he wants. But in the end, he had no peace as he was sent to jail and later died after being diagnosed with a deadly illness. But on the other hand, his erstwhile friend, Frank died peacefully with his wife beside him. But as for Vito, he died alone as his estranged wife who he had cheated and treated badly in the person of Anna was not there with him as she had died earlier after her divorce with him.

This movie is an interesting one and it tells us how society is. It tells us about the corrupt practices going on in the society and also the good and bad side of our society.

RATING:

I will rate the movie 7/10.

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Poster picture sourced.

All other images are screenshots from the movie.

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