American Mafia: The Rise and Fall of Organized Crime (2021) User Reviews

Excellent Documentary

[sowden_jd · 8/10 · 30 September 2022]

I love Mafia anything. I am Sicilian so, it hits home! I thought this was really well done. Informative and had a point of view. I loved the original footage. There was WAY more than I thought there would be. The ones being interviewed were incredibly knowledgable and really sold the validity of the documentary. I thought the interview setups were also done well. One thing that can also be very troubling about documentaries are that they can sometimes have poor audio. While this one has a zoom caller (it looked like), the audio was still very well done in the interview sessions. If you love Vegas, History, Mafia or all of the above, I would highly recommend checking this one out!

Interesting documentary about Las Vegas history

[lbarker08 · 7/10 · 3 August 2022]

This documentary shows the deep, comprehensive history of Las Vegas and the criminal underbelly that helped shape the city. Narrated by director Mark Curran and including interviews with various experts, this subject makes for a great documentary!

True crime... indie style!

[bchaffin23 · 7/10 · 19 August 2022]

I'm a huge true crime fan (which sounds morbid) but I'm fascinating by the criminal mind. This film does a great job of showing all the elements that come into play when it comes to the life of crime. Then add in the scene of Vegas and you have a fascinating mix. Job well done!

Informative but second half was too much fluff

[Musicianmagic · 6/10 · 25 March 2024]

For what it covered it was interesting. It didn't cover organized crime in Las Vegas during prohibition. Totally skipped that for some reason. I also didn't like that they sometimes jumped around chronologically but failed to give a reference. It was only because I was already familiar with Vegas history that I knew when they were covering.

The second half seemed like they started running out of material to meet the total time for the show. They repeated things like explaining the Hole in the Wall Gang it seemed like many times.

They did cover some things more in depth which made most of this show interesting. Could have been better but worth a watch if really interested in Vegas history. There is also the Vegas history the local PBS station has been posting on YouTube that is excellent and covers some of the same.

What Made the Las Vegas We Know Today

[catheraneskillen · 9/10 · 1 August 2022]

This is a very comprehensive look at the elements that came together to shape the Las Vegas we know today. Mark Curran does a wonderful job bringing to light the beginnings of what was once a small, dusty, old west-looking way station in the middle of the desert to the arrival of the gangsters who built and shaped Las Vegas to the corporate run mecca it is today. I found it very interesting to see photos of these people who shaped the city and the parts they played. With time and the change it brings, it's good to know this record will be available for future generations.

I have never seen a documentary more in need of editing

[lopeze-15474 · 3/10 · 14 April 2024]

This documentary repeats itself so many times it's really laughable. How many people do we need to tell us how the "Hole in the wall" gang got its name? Well evidently it's three times by three different people back to back. This thing feels like it's on loop. If it has one good fact, it has every interviewee repeat it over and over again. It feels like when my high school teacher said I needed to write a 1500 word essay and I've only got 500 words of content. Also, for a documentary that beats a dead horse over and over again, we really don't need to hear the name of every single person's first and last name that committed every single crime and made every single purchase. I feel like the interviewees are just showing off the fact that they know all these name, even though that have absolutely no relevance to the main stories. The only more infuriating documentary that got me to write a review like this was "The Spirit of the Pony Express."

This documentary does not receive a passing grade from a high school film editor.

Excellent look at the mafia and Vegas

[directortim2012 · 9/10 · 31 July 2022]

Anyone who is a fan of Bugsy, Casino, and The Godfather I and II would love this documentary. It mines all that Mafia lore those films touch on, but goes much deeper. Though the film is anything but a glorification of organized crime, it's nonetheless a fascinating history. Especially fun to see all the famous people who, even if tangentially, connected to the mob through shows in Vegas. A very smart and entertaining look at a really interesting subject.

Amazing insight into the world behind the glamour

[marceldorian · 9/10 · 2 August 2022]

This gem of a documentary looks into the genesis of Las Vegas from desert land to a place of glamour where celebrities rubbed shoulders with mobsters. It follows events in a chronological order highlighting the 2 masterminds behind Sin City. The interviews and cool footage work a chronic of times when men not corporations ran the world of high stake gambling. If you are a fan of Vegas and Gangster stories this documentary will not disappoint.

Excellent history lesson of the birth of Las Vegas

[mettlesetdesigner · 9/10 · 26 August 2022]

What a great documentary covering the beginnings of Las Vegas and the mafia. I just love seeing all the old photos and video of a time long gone. The interviews and footage are wonderfully woven together to tell a great story that does not disappoint. Hats off to the filmmakers. I highly recommend this doc to anyone interested in the birth of Las Vegas and how the mafia shaped it.

The story of organized crime in Las Vegas is an intriguing tale of murder greed and corruption. Learn how the mob built the most dazzling and decadent city in the West before being dismantled by federal prosecutors hell-bent on taking them down. Through newsreels, archival photos and first hand accounts from those who participated, American Mafia: Las Vegas takes you inside the story from the people who know it best.

Absolutely FASCINATING!!

[roblesharhold · 9/10 · 5 August 2022]

I am a lover of documentaries, and I watch a lot of them. I must admit, this is not a topic I would normally be interested in. But this is SO WELL DONE! I was immediately drawn in by the amount of footage and photos that were collected. The narrator was great, but my favorite was Michael Green and his delivery of the history and knowledge. I really am impressed with this entire documentary. This should be bought by the history Channel, I think it needs a broader audience. So we'll done!

A masterfully crafted piece of modern mobster drama and crime about Las Vegas

[abeehazah · 9/10 · 6 October 2022]

This documentary is a mindboggling tale of Mobs, crime and bloodshed set in the streets of Las Vegas. A great effort in telling the story of the American mafia movement in Las Vegas. Especially the narrator's effort and the vintage photography included in this 90 minutes of direction. The portrayal of crime and corruption was witnessed once and is now a part of a documentary. Real crime incidents have been shaped so well. Every era has its peak and end which is marvellously covered in this short and full packaged 90 minutes tale. Narrated and directed by Mark Curran makes this documentary a highly recommended one to watch.