Romanzo criminale (2005)

Director:

Michele Placido

Writers:

Giancarlo De Cataldo (novel)
Stefano Rulli (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

30 September 2005 (Italy)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | History

Plot Keywords:

Shot In The Torso | Shoot Out | 1990s | Father Son Relationship | Police

Awards:

14 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Stefano Accorsi	...	Commissario Scialoja
Kim Rossi Stuart	...	Il Freddo
Pierfrancesco Favino	...	Libano
Claudio Santamaria	...	Il Dandi
Riccardo Scamarcio	...	Il Nero
Jasmine Trinca	...	Roberta
Elio Germano	...	Il Sorcio
Anna Mouglalis	...	Patrizia / Cinzia
Toni Bertorelli	...	La Voce
Stefano Fresi	...	Secco
Massimo Popolizio	...	Il terribile
Francesco Venditti	...	Bufalo
Benedito Sicca	...	Ranocchia
Daniele Miglio	...	Scrocchiazeppi
Roberto Infascelli	...	Gigio

Also Known As:

Crime Novel (UK) (literal English title)

Runtime:

152 min | 174 min (extended version)

Country:

Italy | France | UK

Language:

Italian | English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | France:-12 | Netherlands:16 | Italy:T | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Company:

Cattleya

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Freddo (Ice) shoots Roberta's killer (Ciro Buffoni) outside the church at the end of the film he uses a revolver but you can clearly hear shell casings hit the ground after each shot which would only happen with a semi-automatic pistol.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Romanzo criminale" (2008)

Soundtrack:

I heard it through the grapevine

hyper-realistic style, color, photography, acting were triumphant

I confess I'm not Italian and don't really have a grasp on the historical significance of the 70's in Italy though I read Moravia's A Time of Innocence (I believe that was the English translation title) and liked it. The movie looked like it was made in contemporary times and the few references to the 70's were confusing as nobody looked like they did in that period. Given that, I loved the style, color, photography and editing and found the plot absorbing and the actors great for the parts. I haven't seen the extended version, don't know what it includes, but would like to, since I was never bored for a minute and it could have been longer as far as I was concerned. Kim Rossi Stuart was great, as were the other members of the 'band', though yes, he seemed out of his element playing a 'cold-blooded' killer. But his sensitivity and decline at the end worked for me. The other guys were great, as was Anna who played Patrizia. She was pretty stunning to look at and believable - when she was on the screen my eyes never wandered. The movie reminded me of Soavi's Uno Bianca in its hypersensitive style, which I loved, though Romanzo wasn't as tight or as suspenseful, I guess. And it wasn't scary either like Soavi's Ultima Pallottola. I don't know if it makes me shallow or what, but I liked the glossy, model feel of the movie a lot. Like I like Soavi's work. For my eyes it was a cinematic feast. Its apparent failings pointed out by other reviewers as a faithful adaptation of the material about the times didn't so much matter to me as I don't know that much about them anyway. I just enjoyed the movie as if it were taking place today and I think others like me might too.