Stars: Robert De Niro, Debra Messing, Kathrine Narducci, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Rispoli, Robert Uricola, Frank Piccirillo, Matt Servitto | Written by Nicholas Pileggi | Directed by Barry Levinson

The Alto Knights, directed by Barry Levinson, brings together a talented cast, with Robert De Niro in the spotlight, portraying dual roles. The film sets out to explore the complex world of 1950s New York mobsters, but while it has all the right ingredients for a gripping crime drama, it ultimately falls short of becoming a memorable entry in the genre.

De Niro’s dual performance as Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, two real-life mob bosses, is certainly an ambitious choice. On paper, the idea of him playing both characters sounds intriguing. However, the execution feels a bit lacklustre. The portrayal of Costello as the calm and calculating “gentleman gangster” and Genovese as the paranoid, impulsive hothead does not carry the emotional weight that...