pauljdeeble
Get over the subtitles and it's a good movie! Nothing we haven't seen before but played out in a believable gritty way. No spoilers from me. Enjoy the slow burn start as characters are introduced and keep a count of who is left at the end.
adrianovasconcelos
Italy has made some of the best movies and TV series on the Mafia. Stefano Sollima had previously directed GOMORRA, but I find SUBURRA better in terms of acting, photography, direction, and action sequences. The story unfolds against a time frame of seven days to "Apocalypse" - which, I assume, will be an all-out war among the various underworlds in Rome. It offers the usual menu of gloriously beautiful women having sex with corrupt politicians; underhand interests; treacherous souls; overbearing murderers; drug addicts and underdogs... and also an insight into the power and menace of the Catholic Church.An American Pit Bull Terrier that provides a truly terrifying sequence at the end, and there are a few other brutal interactions among characters you hope never to meet in your life. In between all the sordid souls and motivations, there is, however, love. There is love for a child who gets kidnapped (and that is all you get to know about him, one suspects there's no way back for him) and there's love in the ruins of this criminal microcosm. It does not matter that that love emanates from drug users, it still grows like a flower in asphalt, and it provides a solitary ray of hope. Ultimately and unexpectedly, the minnows have a say and you come away feeling that it is a great thing you were not born, and do not live, in the slums - or, for that matter, in the posh suburbs - of Rome.
Tom Dooley
Set in 2011 in the port of Ostia (Rome) we meet a plethora on ne'er do wells from politicians, gang types, and just low downs caught up in a bigger plan. That plan is to turn the port into a modern day Las Vegas (I mean really!!). This entails a gangster called Samurai in buying up all the real estate in readiness to cash in.The problem is the politicos have a taste for young flesh, hard drugs, money and power which equals corruption. Throw into the mix the Vatican connection a whole 'traveller' network of crime types and you have all the ingredients for a roller coaster of a film.I thought this was superb, the acting and style were all seductive. The violence visceral and brutal – yet seemingly expected. It is one of those films where the time just flies by and almost makes you hold your breath. It has made such an impact that, according to IMDb, Netflix are making a series to follow this up, I am glad a that I subscribe as if it is half as good as the film it will be well worth the fee.
FlashCallahan
Alarm bells ring when a poster quote says that a prolific director famous for organised crime thrillers would be proud of it.And then the Blu Ray case has not one, but nine four or above star ratings from very well regarded publications, and so etching called Hey U Guys.But fear not, for once this is a film that is worthy of all its plaudits.In 2011, Ostia is the subject of a giant real estate project intended to make the harbour of Ancient Rome the Las Vegas of today. But the place soon becomes a battlefield where criminals and politicians either join forces cynically or fight each other ruthlessly. The infernal showdown will last seven days, claiming many lives.....Suburban is divided into seven parts, each depicting the lead up to the governments decision on granting permission for this project, and on each day, so etching goes drastically wrong for one of the characters who are crucial to the films narrative.And there are so many crucial characters, in the hands of someone lees confident,this could have fell apart on day three. But coming from the director of Gomorrah, Sollima keeps the film at a heady pace, keeping the brutality of Gomorrah, but adding such a beautiful cinematic feel to it.Members of parliament are more crooked and desperate than the two organised crime families, who need to keep the peace until the deal goes though. But this is impossible, thanks to one member of parliament who got a little too amorous with two ladies of the nights, and a lot of drugs.But it turns out that one of them was a minor, and died due to overdosing. And this is where the dreams of the project begin to fall apart.Lust, caution, as they say.It's a very hard film to watch, especially when the element of betrayal begins to enter the narrative fray. It's a film where everyone appears to be in constant danger, and Jean- Hughes Anglade is the unfortunate pawn who is bullied into doing all the pithy jobs, and he's the best thing in it.Set pieces are wonderful, in particular the siege on a shopping Mall, done on a grand scale, but keeping that wonderful gritty realism.Well worthy of all the praise, this needs seeking out.Apparently Martin Scorcese demands it....
AD
