The Alto Knights

More interesting in the context of Robert De Niro’s filmography than it is necessarily as a standalone picture.

I don't know why this movie exists. It breathes no new new life into the mobster movie genre at all and will only serve to remind you of better movies.

Broadly speaking, I like this as a piece of classical gangster theater.

It's solid. Seen it all before, but I kind of enjoy this gangster fare.

Anything that comes across like a deleted scene from Scorsese provides welcome jolts of laughter to the otherwise dry proceedings.

It’s not that the film is bad, it’s just strained. It’s trying to be weighty when it should’ve just been more entertaining.

Is there a story beyond Double De Niros? Barely. It’s the De Niro Two-Ring Circus, and it ain’t Barnum and Baileys.

Robert De Niro is one of the greatest screen actors of all time, and at 81 years old, he delivers a tour de force performance, which elevates what director Barry Levinson accomplishes with this well-written fast-paced film.

De Niro plays both mobsters, a decision brought about by either the actor’s desire to have some fun or the filmmakers’ desire to save on one extra salary.

What we get with The Alto Knights is a mild, somewhat bland gangster picture that doesn't really have much to say about the rivalry between these two, with Pileggi's screenplay presenting their story in a very by-the-numbers manner.