Gomorrah: Stronger Than Fiction
(Dr. No posted his review of this film back in April, and being the attentive contributor I am, I flaked and wrote another one)
When I started my job at the Ministry of Truth two years ago, I abstracted an article about “Gomorrah,” the 2006 investigative exposé by Italian journalist Roberto Saviano. The article explained how his investigative poking into the Camorra led to threats by real-life Godfathers which forced him to go under “permenant police protection.” He was seen as a national hero for exposing the depths of Naples’ corruption, but he would forever live with a death-mark. And now I finally saw the movie!
The film adaptation, directed by Roman born Matteo Garrone, is a brutal, unflinching look at how Comarrah and contemporary organized crime has completely fucked an entire city (Naples). There’s no romanticism. There’s no depiction of the upside of the mafia because the film firmly takes the honest stance that there is no upside: Crime bends society over the rail and doesn’t pull out.
The film presents five interlocking stories as it depicts the cultural, financial, and human side of crime, drugs, high-level corruption, and the firing automatic weapons in your skivvies. If it weren’t for the cinematography and violence being hyper-stylized at times, Gomarrah might have been too intense for me to handle. One scene in particular (involving the Tony Montana-wannabe, “Sweet Pea”) had me near pulling my hair out.
Highly recommended! What the brilliant City of God did for Rio, Gomorrah has done for Naples. Only without all the soccer.
December 1st, 2009 at 9:57 am
Let the flames begin!
I was super excited for this movie and when it finally came to theaters here in NY I rushed over. I really really wanted to like it but I gotta say NOPE.
It kinda sucked. It was slow as hell, like really really really slow. And some of the storylines weren’t interesting at all (I’m looking at you dressmaking guy).
I think it is kind of funny that you brought up City of God, which I found far more effective. This is like CoG-lite. All Hype. All Filler no Killer.
December 1st, 2009 at 10:13 am
The movie was wonderful. Cinematography is excellent and it makes the grittiness all that much more apparent. These huge sweeping shots do their best to distance you from the violence but they depict the reality so unflinchingly that it only serves to isolate you and envelop you within that desolation. Definitely highly recommended. While it may be a bit “slow” for some after the crazy opening scene and a bunch of exposition, stick with it and you will be greatly rewarded. Excellent film.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:04 pm
As usual great review Mars but Gomorrah already got some shine on the Blog a ways back.
December 1st, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Aw crapola. Thanks for the heads up, Dr. No. i totally flaked on that. Didn’t mean to step on your toes.
December 1st, 2009 at 2:47 pm
No sweat doood
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:08 am
Flame on.
I compared Gomorrah to COG for it’s focus on a specific locality, but the films are apples and oranges. Whereas the violence and approach in COG gets SO stylized sometimes that it’s easy to forget its pillars in reality, Gomorrah treats its violence and ends more seriously and I think that leads to a more powerful impact in the end.
Also, party rats.
December 6th, 2009 at 12:21 am
This movie is cold as fuck.
Like The Wire but for southern Italy.
Watch this right after the Sicily scenes in Godfather 1. Similar ancient traditions but completely different results.