The Many Saints of Newark

Although The Many Saints of Newark leans too heavily on the vernacular of the show, it nevertheless has interesting things to say about how men like Tony Soprano come to exist.

Alessandro Nivola is brilliant as Tony’s uncle, Dickie Moltisanti, an unstable explosive who didn’t feature in The Sopranos but whose story provides fascinating insights into characters such as Tony’s mother, Lydia (Vera Farmiga). Expect laughs too.

No doubt devotees of the series will have different opinions as to the value of this backstory, but seen in isolation, as an intense and sometimes violent story of a dysfunctional family, the film is richly rewarding in its own right.

Newcomers to the Soprano saga will have no difficulty tuning in. The narrative soon begins to take on the classic lines of authentic tragedy.

The movie was, to borrow an image from the "Pine Barrens" episode, like sucking ketchup packets.

I walked out of the theatre wishing for a limited TV series rather than a movie. Although The Many Saints of Newark offers an alluring glimpse into Tony Soprano's birth under a bad sign, it never shows the blue moon in the mobster's eyes.

The Mafia Saints is intended to represent not Tony, but the one who had the greatest influence on his personality and leadership qualities. Because as one of the film's advertising slogans expresses, “Legends are not born, they are made”...

This is a return to the world of The Sopranos that is ultimately just fine, rather than a film that matches the greatness of the original series

Smoothly harmonizing edge with heart for a cohesive story, the film is undeniably entertaining and works magnificently to open doors for plenty more thanks to compelling direction and writing.

The little things can be ignored though – especially if you've never seen the show – in favour of the truly stand out performances, specifically from Nivola, and the brilliantly executed thematic beats.