the Many saints of newark- a decent mob drama that doesn’t quite live up to the sopranos
Throughout watching The Many Saints of Newark, fans of the television series The Sopranos will find themselves in a strange bizarro state. We recognize many of the characters whether it be Paulie, Silvio or the titular Tony Soprano, but they are not quite the people we know yet. This comes partially from the new castings, but also from the fact that we know these character’s futures. In some ways, it has the tragedy effect going for it, something that’s been seen in television shows like Better Call Saul. The adolescent Tony Soprano has elements of the threatening mob boss, but he is more of a scared, lost child compared to the series’ more threatening protagonist.
Creator David Chase’s writing isn’t quite up to scratch compared to the series. It’s a decent mob drama but doesn’t quite live up to the standards set by the deconstructive, satirical nature of the television series. The solemn tone the film has does distinguish it from the series enough, making it feel like a lesser version of Scorsese’s The Irishman.
The film primarily works because of its casting. Alessandro Nivola is fantastic as the film’s protagonist Dickie Moltisanti, a man torn between living a normal life and his own criminal lifestyle. Other standouts include Gandolfini who embodies Tony so well that it feels like his father James Gandolfini is right there. Similarly, Ray Liotta delivers some of his best work in years and Vera Farmiga as Livia practically raises that character from the grave. Some performances verge on caricature (notably John Magaro’s Silvio Dante) but the entertainment of the performances is what ultimately keeps the film together.
I doubt someone who has never watched the show will get much out of this film. It’s one purely for the fans of the show which is definitely a big problem. It never particularly bothered me much, considering my own relationship to the show (that it’s the greatest television drama ever put to screen). The Many Saints of Newark is a decent mob drama, but it ultimately doesn’t quite have the power that its small screen predecessor has.
