Worth watching for Harvey Keitels bravura performance as the aging Meyer Lansky . Apart from that it's a 4 . The ACADEMY surely must recognise his performance ranging from affable old man to cold blooded killer with the eyes of a shark .
107 Reviews
Harvey Keitel was outstanding, but even he couldn't save the terrible screenplay.
Top_Dawg_Critic16 July 2021
The Lansky story was actually an interesting one, and I didn't really mind the reporter interview style of storytelling, but was told by writers Robert Rockaway and Eytan Rockaway in a very underwhelming and cliched way. Don't go into this expecting a Scorsese production, as this is far from it.
Eytan's directing was decent, but the pacing was slow, and there were way too many elements in the Lansky story to squeeze into two hours. An example: Lansky's Jewish background and his conflict with the American Nazi's just didn't need to be so highlighted. It lacked real depth, and felt more like a bad documentary, than a good movie.
Eytan's directing was decent, but the pacing was slow, and there were way too many elements in the Lansky story to squeeze into two hours. An example: Lansky's Jewish background and his conflict with the American Nazi's just didn't need to be so highlighted. It lacked real depth, and felt more like a bad documentary, than a good movie.
Harvey Keitel carries this movie on his ageing back
valleyjohn11 September 2021
Harvey Keitel is looking all of his 82 years and more but one thing is for sure , his acting hasn't diminished one little bit , which is a good thing for this film because if it wasn't for him , this would have been dull as dish water .
When the aging Meyer Lansky is investigated by the Feds, who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century, the retired gangster reveals the untold truth about his life as the boss of the National Crime Syndicate.
I love a gangster film but they have to have something a little different about them for me to really enjoy them . This does and doesn't.
The scenes with Keitel and to a certain extent Sam Worthington are really watchable ( even though there are too many words of wisdom ) but the problem is , because Lansky is telling his life story to David Stone , the film is interspersed with flashback scenes of when he was a young man and to be brutally honest they aren't any good . The Director makes the mistake of doing the gangster scenes like painting by numbers . Every cliche in book is used and it's just dull .
Thankfully Harvey Keitel turns a sows ear into a silk purse and makes the film enjoyable although I couldn't stop looking at the prosthetic nose they gave him which was very distracting.
To confuse people for some weird reason the the movie company changed the name from lansky to A Righteous man - a much duller title . Why do they do things like that ?
When the aging Meyer Lansky is investigated by the Feds, who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century, the retired gangster reveals the untold truth about his life as the boss of the National Crime Syndicate.
I love a gangster film but they have to have something a little different about them for me to really enjoy them . This does and doesn't.
The scenes with Keitel and to a certain extent Sam Worthington are really watchable ( even though there are too many words of wisdom ) but the problem is , because Lansky is telling his life story to David Stone , the film is interspersed with flashback scenes of when he was a young man and to be brutally honest they aren't any good . The Director makes the mistake of doing the gangster scenes like painting by numbers . Every cliche in book is used and it's just dull .
Thankfully Harvey Keitel turns a sows ear into a silk purse and makes the film enjoyable although I couldn't stop looking at the prosthetic nose they gave him which was very distracting.
To confuse people for some weird reason the the movie company changed the name from lansky to A Righteous man - a much duller title . Why do they do things like that ?
He called himself an angel, with a dirty face.
TxMike2 October 2021
Meyer Lansky was a Jewish immigrant who had an affinity for numbers, and his "business sense" eventually made him one of the most successful crime bosses. The story in this movie focuses on 1981, Lansky was to die in 1983 of lung cancer. But an author, money short, meets with him to gather information to write a book of his life. One provision, what Lansky tells him must remain confidential until Lansky's death, otherwise he wouldn't like the consequences.
Much of the movie is told in flashback form, with a heavy focus on the late 1930s and the 1940s. Harvey Keitel does a remarkably good job as Lansky.
Good movie, gives us a glimpse of the golden days of organized crime during the period that Las Vegas and gambling became big business. My wife skipped, not her kind of movie. I watched it on DVD from my public library.
Much of the movie is told in flashback form, with a heavy focus on the late 1930s and the 1940s. Harvey Keitel does a remarkably good job as Lansky.
Good movie, gives us a glimpse of the golden days of organized crime during the period that Las Vegas and gambling became big business. My wife skipped, not her kind of movie. I watched it on DVD from my public library.
Harvey is MAGISTERIAL
hist-3612328 October 2021
It's a very so-so movie, but Harvey Keitel makes it completely worth watching. His demeanor toward the young writer reminded me of some of my own mentors. Not that they were gangsters. Just something in his voice and delivery. Don't you love it when people are really, really good at their jobs?
Interesting
bryangary6519 January 2023
These sort of gangster biopic movies always capture my interest, especially going back to the prohibition days.
This film kept me attentive mainly thanks to the acting of Harvey Keitel and John Magaro who both play Meyer Lansky.
It's no Godfather but is powerful in places, and the flashbacks style of filming seemed to work out okay . Lots of iconic mafia players pop up like Al Capone etc and of course Bugsy Siegel, and there is a fair bit of violence but that's par for the course given the subject matter
In summary a good watch and being based on true events keeps your attention for those of us who like this genre of cinema.
This film kept me attentive mainly thanks to the acting of Harvey Keitel and John Magaro who both play Meyer Lansky.
It's no Godfather but is powerful in places, and the flashbacks style of filming seemed to work out okay . Lots of iconic mafia players pop up like Al Capone etc and of course Bugsy Siegel, and there is a fair bit of violence but that's par for the course given the subject matter
In summary a good watch and being based on true events keeps your attention for those of us who like this genre of cinema.
No knowledge
ferguson-624 June 2021
Greetings again from the darkness. If asked, the vast majority of movie lovers would name THE GODFATHER (1972), THE GODFATHER II (1974), and GOODFELLAS (1990) as the quintessential mafia movies. Sure, there are dozens of others, but that mob triumvirate has ruled the roost for many years. It's doubtful writer-director Eytan Rockaway ever gave one moment of thought that his second feature, written from a story by his father, author Robert Rockaway, might join the ranks of those top three, but that doesn't prevent it from being a quite interesting tale based on true events.
Sam Worthington (AVATAR, 2009) stars as David Stone, a writer who had some success a few years back with his Kennedy biography. Since then, he's struggled in both his personal and professional life. In 1981 when an elderly Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel) contacts him to write the true Lansky story, David jumps at the opportunity, seeing it as a solution to his many problems. The two men meet at a Miami diner that Lansky frequents. These diner meetings form the structure of the story, and director Rockaway uses flashbacks to the 1940's to "show" us what Lansky is telling his biographer from the booth.
John Magaro plays the younger Lansky, a man who is remarkably good with numbers and calm, yet forceful, in his demeanor. Lansky has partnered with Ben "Bugsy" Siegel (David Cade), who provides some muscle and flamboyance that Lansky lacks. We see the development of their business, and how Lansky's shrewd business acumen leads to a connection with Lucky Luciano, as well as providing the government with intelligence during the war. Lansky's story to David glosses over the bootlegging and other revenue streams to concentrate on gaming, which of course, is now legal in many states.
The supporting cast includes Minka Kelly as David's fling at the motel, AnnaSophia Robb as Lansky's wife Anne, Shane McRae as Lucky Luciano, and David James Elliott as the FBI Agent obsessed with solving the long-dead Lansky case and locating the $350 million supposedly hidden away. As you might expect, the story bounces from Miami to New York City to Cuba (a stunning Colonial Hotel in Havana) to Vegas to Geneva and even Israel, where Lansky attempted, unsuccessfully, to live out his life.
Lansky's biggest impact was facilitating the connection between the Italian, Irish, and Jewish mafia at a time when so such bond existed. We twice hear him answer, "I have no knowledge on the subject", when questioned about organized crime. On his death in 1983, Lansky had no convictions - all charges had been dropped. A doctor's diagnosis of terminal lung cancer led him to reach out to an author so that his story could be told. We don't learn much about "Murder, Inc." but we do understand Lansky's commitment to "control the game". Rockaway has delivered an intriguing profile of an enigma from inside the mafia ... and screen vet Keitel makes it all believable.
In Select Theaters & On Demand June 25, 2021.
Sam Worthington (AVATAR, 2009) stars as David Stone, a writer who had some success a few years back with his Kennedy biography. Since then, he's struggled in both his personal and professional life. In 1981 when an elderly Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel) contacts him to write the true Lansky story, David jumps at the opportunity, seeing it as a solution to his many problems. The two men meet at a Miami diner that Lansky frequents. These diner meetings form the structure of the story, and director Rockaway uses flashbacks to the 1940's to "show" us what Lansky is telling his biographer from the booth.
John Magaro plays the younger Lansky, a man who is remarkably good with numbers and calm, yet forceful, in his demeanor. Lansky has partnered with Ben "Bugsy" Siegel (David Cade), who provides some muscle and flamboyance that Lansky lacks. We see the development of their business, and how Lansky's shrewd business acumen leads to a connection with Lucky Luciano, as well as providing the government with intelligence during the war. Lansky's story to David glosses over the bootlegging and other revenue streams to concentrate on gaming, which of course, is now legal in many states.
The supporting cast includes Minka Kelly as David's fling at the motel, AnnaSophia Robb as Lansky's wife Anne, Shane McRae as Lucky Luciano, and David James Elliott as the FBI Agent obsessed with solving the long-dead Lansky case and locating the $350 million supposedly hidden away. As you might expect, the story bounces from Miami to New York City to Cuba (a stunning Colonial Hotel in Havana) to Vegas to Geneva and even Israel, where Lansky attempted, unsuccessfully, to live out his life.
Lansky's biggest impact was facilitating the connection between the Italian, Irish, and Jewish mafia at a time when so such bond existed. We twice hear him answer, "I have no knowledge on the subject", when questioned about organized crime. On his death in 1983, Lansky had no convictions - all charges had been dropped. A doctor's diagnosis of terminal lung cancer led him to reach out to an author so that his story could be told. We don't learn much about "Murder, Inc." but we do understand Lansky's commitment to "control the game". Rockaway has delivered an intriguing profile of an enigma from inside the mafia ... and screen vet Keitel makes it all believable.
In Select Theaters & On Demand June 25, 2021.
Fact-based movie about a notorious mobster , telling of the tumultuous life of the organized crime boss
ma-cortes2 January 2023
Interesting and violent story about rise and fall of the famous gangster with nice acting from protagonist duo . Harvey Keitel stars this compelling Meyer Lansky semi-biography , chronicling his life by means of flashbacks , the story is based on true events dealing with his beginnings as a Jewish immigrant to his successful career in gambling , bootlegging and racketeering and eventually murder. Meantime, the aging Meyer Lansky (Harvey Keitel) is investigated by the Feds (David James Elliot) , who suspect he has stashed away millions of dollars over half a century .Meyer's asked by a reporter called David Stone (Sam Worthington) to comment on the killings that occurred under his leadership he declined, thereby making this film's thrust that of personalities and relationships rather than of acts of violence or the workings of corrupt deeds . As the retired gangster reveals the untold truth about his life as the boss of the National Crime Syndicate that doesn't hesitate to kill or maim anyone crossing him. Retelling of his thunderous life from infancy to bloody adultness and the subsequent chase since the US courts that have put out an extradition order for him to stand trial while he's looking for some country that will take him in.
Enjoyable film based on the famous mobster when the Feds are going after him that contains drama , real events , thrills and violence . The picture relies heavily on the relationship between Lansky and his interviewer , both of whom well played by Harvey Keitel and Sam Worthington . The motion picture was professionally directed by Eytan Rockaway .Other films featuring the character of Meyer Lansky are the following ones : Virginia Hill (1974) , Bugsy (1991) and Meyer Lansky (1999) with Richard Dreyfuss in the title role .
There are several biographic remarks about the retired gangster spinning this dizzying tale, revealing the untold truth about his life as the colorful boss of ¨Murder Inc¨ and the National Crime Syndicate . It tells of a young man with bright intelligence which he often used for moving into crime , while growing up in the Jewish ghettos of America's big cities at the turn of the century. During adolescence (John Magaro as young Meyer Lansky), he befriended Bugsy Siegel , who was forming a small crew whose criminal activities expanded to include gambling and car theft . Along the way , Meyer marries a troublesome woman Anne Lansky (AnnaSophia Robb). In 1930, Lansky and Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel (David Cade) built close ties to Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Frank Costello (Ron Fallica) , both future bosses of the Genovese crime family. Bootlegger Lansky and Siegel were also associated with Albert "Mad Hatter" Anastasia (Vincent Minutella) . Lansky and Siegel were also heavily involved in bootlegging operations in various cities . During the so-called Castellammarese War in 1930-1931, they fought the gang of Sal Maranzano (Jay Giannone) ; Siegel reputedly had a hand in Maranzano's murder and later in the formation of Murder , Inc . Lansky and Siegel assisted with Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano Luciano's (Shane McRae) brief alliance with Dutch Schultz and killed rival loan sharks Amberg . Things go wrong when in 1937, the East Coast mob sent Siegel to California to develop syndicate gambling rackets. Lansky was pursued by the US justice , but claimed he was only a gambler, just like most all Americans . Meyer Lansky died in 1983 from lung cancer. His alleged fortune was never found. Today the gambling industry he pioneered contributes $250 billion each year to the U. S. economy and employs almost 2 million people.
Enjoyable film based on the famous mobster when the Feds are going after him that contains drama , real events , thrills and violence . The picture relies heavily on the relationship between Lansky and his interviewer , both of whom well played by Harvey Keitel and Sam Worthington . The motion picture was professionally directed by Eytan Rockaway .Other films featuring the character of Meyer Lansky are the following ones : Virginia Hill (1974) , Bugsy (1991) and Meyer Lansky (1999) with Richard Dreyfuss in the title role .
There are several biographic remarks about the retired gangster spinning this dizzying tale, revealing the untold truth about his life as the colorful boss of ¨Murder Inc¨ and the National Crime Syndicate . It tells of a young man with bright intelligence which he often used for moving into crime , while growing up in the Jewish ghettos of America's big cities at the turn of the century. During adolescence (John Magaro as young Meyer Lansky), he befriended Bugsy Siegel , who was forming a small crew whose criminal activities expanded to include gambling and car theft . Along the way , Meyer marries a troublesome woman Anne Lansky (AnnaSophia Robb). In 1930, Lansky and Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel (David Cade) built close ties to Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Frank Costello (Ron Fallica) , both future bosses of the Genovese crime family. Bootlegger Lansky and Siegel were also associated with Albert "Mad Hatter" Anastasia (Vincent Minutella) . Lansky and Siegel were also heavily involved in bootlegging operations in various cities . During the so-called Castellammarese War in 1930-1931, they fought the gang of Sal Maranzano (Jay Giannone) ; Siegel reputedly had a hand in Maranzano's murder and later in the formation of Murder , Inc . Lansky and Siegel assisted with Charlie 'Lucky' Luciano Luciano's (Shane McRae) brief alliance with Dutch Schultz and killed rival loan sharks Amberg . Things go wrong when in 1937, the East Coast mob sent Siegel to California to develop syndicate gambling rackets. Lansky was pursued by the US justice , but claimed he was only a gambler, just like most all Americans . Meyer Lansky died in 1983 from lung cancer. His alleged fortune was never found. Today the gambling industry he pioneered contributes $250 billion each year to the U. S. economy and employs almost 2 million people.
You get what you pay for
Nate-4826 June 2021
I am not saying you need a $100 million budget to tell the story of Meyer Lansky, or you must have Tarantino, Spielberg, or Coppola but it would help a lot.
Trying to make a biopic on one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century underworld is a massive undertaking.
First things first - Harvey Keitel is really great. Not just great. He is perfect for the part. It is one of his five best roles.
He is from new york, jewish, tough, pretty much the same age as Lansky was at the time the movie is supposed to take place and is old enough with the nyc street background and wise enough to understand the Lansky character.
The actor playing the younger Lansky is not bad but is not the man for the job - few could be.
The Bugsy siegel character works fine for the early crime scenes but in the vegas scenes he does his best vince vaughn in Swingers Impression and he is about 10 years too young for siegels vegas years though it could have been pulled off with some better acting and directing. A scene of Siegel falling asleep at the bar is not something he would have done. Siegel also wouldnt have showboated in the manner the director depicts. The director ends up making a cartoonish impression of siegel.
The filmmaker also loses a lot of credibility with the Millers Crossing stolen execution scene which is not just a scene lacking any believability but shows a real sloppiness of filmmaking.
This movie was shot in 20 days and it shows. It was rushed together.
A love triangle and hotel story involving the author is a completely unnecessary distraction which turns the film from a biopic of a monumental figure to a late night soap drama on the oxygen channel.
The movie somewhat recovers from its pitfalls through the power of Lanskys story. Much of the general storyline is true though the amount of liberties taken such as the millers crossing execution scene are too big of a distraction.
The maranzano showdown also takes liberties with what is known. The director also fails to detail the importance of the moment or that Maranzanon was the biggest boss of the time.
Many of the scenes in the film are just made up though others are credible.
One great part of the movie is the jewish attacks on the nazis which is little known today but was factual.
The movie also does a good job in explaining lanskys assistance to the us government in rooting out nazi spies which is very important to the story.
This movie is a more realistic depiction of lansky then some other movies and shows have done.
While Keitel does a great job in his portrayal, it feels too much at times like the younger version is too much Hymen roth. Roths version of the Lansky character had too many elements which were not accurate. For example he had a tough Rugged baritone voice which instilled fear and demanded respect not the squeakiness that the younger lansky version shown here and in the roth version and other versions.
There are two great supporting acting performances in this film - david james elliot who is the government agent hounding lansky and anna sophia robb who plays lanskys wife.
Robb is a real revelation here and is an actress to look out for if you are unfamiliar.
My Other main criticism is most of the violent scenes are just not believable and were more interested in gore.
The depiction of murder inc as an afterthought is a fatal flaw as it is integral to the lansky story. This should have been central to the story. Instead it is treated like the orks in lord of the rings with a saturday afterrnoon cartoon feel.
The prohibition era is essentially glossed over. Except for a card room scene and the meeting of his wife and luciano.
What we have here is a major error of trying to combine a story about a reporter who interviewed lansky and whose stories may or may not be partially fictional and a story of one of the most impactful gangsters which is given equal treatment to the reporter.
Consider for a moment all of the time godfather 2 spent on the cuba scenes when our story is supposed to be about the man who made those cuba scenes happen and instead we get about two minutes of cuba - which is where lansky made his great fortune and lost it.
Basically this film tries to do too much with too little and falls short by rushing through each item as if it were a checklist.
The greatness of Keitel makes this worth watching. As for the story of Lansky, it is a teaspoon mixed with some accuracy, some false tales and some folly but ultimately there is an honest attempt by the director to show the general character of lansky in the manner in which he is believed to have acted. The ending is perfect and that is a big part of the lansky story.
The problem lies in the parts of the film which stray too far from the truth.
Like having a guy in cowboy hat in nyc or visiting an alabama jail to find a magical clue from some southern convict turn the film into a version of con air.
Trying to make a biopic on one of the most consequential figures of the 20th century underworld is a massive undertaking.
First things first - Harvey Keitel is really great. Not just great. He is perfect for the part. It is one of his five best roles.
He is from new york, jewish, tough, pretty much the same age as Lansky was at the time the movie is supposed to take place and is old enough with the nyc street background and wise enough to understand the Lansky character.
The actor playing the younger Lansky is not bad but is not the man for the job - few could be.
The Bugsy siegel character works fine for the early crime scenes but in the vegas scenes he does his best vince vaughn in Swingers Impression and he is about 10 years too young for siegels vegas years though it could have been pulled off with some better acting and directing. A scene of Siegel falling asleep at the bar is not something he would have done. Siegel also wouldnt have showboated in the manner the director depicts. The director ends up making a cartoonish impression of siegel.
The filmmaker also loses a lot of credibility with the Millers Crossing stolen execution scene which is not just a scene lacking any believability but shows a real sloppiness of filmmaking.
This movie was shot in 20 days and it shows. It was rushed together.
A love triangle and hotel story involving the author is a completely unnecessary distraction which turns the film from a biopic of a monumental figure to a late night soap drama on the oxygen channel.
The movie somewhat recovers from its pitfalls through the power of Lanskys story. Much of the general storyline is true though the amount of liberties taken such as the millers crossing execution scene are too big of a distraction.
The maranzano showdown also takes liberties with what is known. The director also fails to detail the importance of the moment or that Maranzanon was the biggest boss of the time.
Many of the scenes in the film are just made up though others are credible.
One great part of the movie is the jewish attacks on the nazis which is little known today but was factual.
The movie also does a good job in explaining lanskys assistance to the us government in rooting out nazi spies which is very important to the story.
This movie is a more realistic depiction of lansky then some other movies and shows have done.
While Keitel does a great job in his portrayal, it feels too much at times like the younger version is too much Hymen roth. Roths version of the Lansky character had too many elements which were not accurate. For example he had a tough Rugged baritone voice which instilled fear and demanded respect not the squeakiness that the younger lansky version shown here and in the roth version and other versions.
There are two great supporting acting performances in this film - david james elliot who is the government agent hounding lansky and anna sophia robb who plays lanskys wife.
Robb is a real revelation here and is an actress to look out for if you are unfamiliar.
My Other main criticism is most of the violent scenes are just not believable and were more interested in gore.
The depiction of murder inc as an afterthought is a fatal flaw as it is integral to the lansky story. This should have been central to the story. Instead it is treated like the orks in lord of the rings with a saturday afterrnoon cartoon feel.
The prohibition era is essentially glossed over. Except for a card room scene and the meeting of his wife and luciano.
What we have here is a major error of trying to combine a story about a reporter who interviewed lansky and whose stories may or may not be partially fictional and a story of one of the most impactful gangsters which is given equal treatment to the reporter.
Consider for a moment all of the time godfather 2 spent on the cuba scenes when our story is supposed to be about the man who made those cuba scenes happen and instead we get about two minutes of cuba - which is where lansky made his great fortune and lost it.
Basically this film tries to do too much with too little and falls short by rushing through each item as if it were a checklist.
The greatness of Keitel makes this worth watching. As for the story of Lansky, it is a teaspoon mixed with some accuracy, some false tales and some folly but ultimately there is an honest attempt by the director to show the general character of lansky in the manner in which he is believed to have acted. The ending is perfect and that is a big part of the lansky story.
The problem lies in the parts of the film which stray too far from the truth.
Like having a guy in cowboy hat in nyc or visiting an alabama jail to find a magical clue from some southern convict turn the film into a version of con air.
Interesting and worth the time just for Keitel
redbaron-8619226 October 2021
Harvey Keitel carries this slow moving film. It held my interest from beginning to end and the nostalgic look back to the golden days of gambling, etc. Was something we haven't seen in a while. It's not the Godfather; but, worthwhile just the same. So nice to see Keitel still captivating an audience. Best yet, a true story.
Boring Telling of an Interesting Story
chron9 October 2021
Big dreams
kosmasp11 January 2022
It was so good to see Harvey Keitel in a bigger role once again. And I have to admit I do like Sam Worthington - I know that may not be a popular opinion or something that will matter in the rating for most people, but I thought I'd "explain" why I chose to go a bit higher than the average rating is right now.
Having said that, the movie could have done with a bit more money. It may aim a bit higher than it eventually can reach. So certain things fall a bit flat I reckon. Not any of the actors though. Or the (violent) murders and killings that can be witnessed - no pun intended.
Never heard of Lansky and went into this completely unaware of any backstory. This still was able to "entertain" me or rather have me on the edge of my seat. Suspense was high and there are a few twists that work quite well. Maybe you have a few characters too many overall, but it did work and was not too messy or incoherent for my taste.
Certain editing and camera angle choices were weird even for me, but I assume it was time and money restraints. Still this works, if you let it.
Having said that, the movie could have done with a bit more money. It may aim a bit higher than it eventually can reach. So certain things fall a bit flat I reckon. Not any of the actors though. Or the (violent) murders and killings that can be witnessed - no pun intended.
Never heard of Lansky and went into this completely unaware of any backstory. This still was able to "entertain" me or rather have me on the edge of my seat. Suspense was high and there are a few twists that work quite well. Maybe you have a few characters too many overall, but it did work and was not too messy or incoherent for my taste.
Certain editing and camera angle choices were weird even for me, but I assume it was time and money restraints. Still this works, if you let it.
Wonderful story to be told.
kenzibit30 June 2021
Beautiful story to be on the big screen. I love these kinda movies but was really not happy with the way the direction and character ties went in this one. It seemed a little bit rushed with majority of the characters basing losely on others, there was nothing like ties to connect audiences with characters with some having little screen time to learn anything about them. The plot deserved better acting than this, nonetheless the story was really captivating and fun to watch.
Lacklustre and forgettable mob bio-pic
Groverdox11 December 2021
Here is a pretty run-of-the-mill, lacklustre mob flick. It's a biopic, but it fails to show us anything we haven't already seen in other movies, even if we know nothing about Meyer Lansky.
Harvey Keitel does exactly what you'd expect from a great actor in the twilight of his life - he's in his eighties now - playing an iconic crime figure right before he checked out. Perhaps they were inspired by "The Irishman", also about crime figures contemplating mortality. But in that movie Keitel was surrounded by other acting heavyweights. Here it's Sam Worthington and a bunch of no-names who aren't about to become known any time soon.
Basing your movie on a real-world figure should enable you to find some spark of originality. No two lives are the same. The best I can say about "Lansky" is that it's not as bad as "Capone".
Harvey Keitel does exactly what you'd expect from a great actor in the twilight of his life - he's in his eighties now - playing an iconic crime figure right before he checked out. Perhaps they were inspired by "The Irishman", also about crime figures contemplating mortality. But in that movie Keitel was surrounded by other acting heavyweights. Here it's Sam Worthington and a bunch of no-names who aren't about to become known any time soon.
Basing your movie on a real-world figure should enable you to find some spark of originality. No two lives are the same. The best I can say about "Lansky" is that it's not as bad as "Capone".
Fascinating
Gordon-1118 July 2021
flashback to mob-ville
ksf-227 August 2021
Harvey Keitel is Meyer Lansky, a man with a terminal illness, telling his story to reporter David Stone (Sam Worthington, from Avatar). Along the way, we hear about his dealings with Al Capone, Bugsy Siegel, and Chuck Luciano, all the famous figures in organized crime history. Seems to be similar to the Richard Dreyfuss tv movie version from 1999. That one was nominated for an emmy! From HBO, and rated R. This current version seems to include a LOT more violence, and details on the murders. Also rated R. Lansky is spilling his guts to the reporter in a restaurant, and WE know that the feds know it, so .... it's probably only a matter of time.... John Magaro plays the younger Meyer Lansky, in the early years. And apparently, Lansky headed up more than the U. S. mob... he was also in charge of the cuba casinos. Directed by Eytan Rockaway; story by Eytan and Robert Rockaway. Seems to be pretty accurate. I didn't know that Luciano was let out of jail early on the condition that the mob found and eradicated the spies on the waterfront.
KEITEL DOES IT AGAIN
mmthos6 December 2021
Harvey Keitel always manages to bring something unique to his working class New York characters, and he does it here again, as the ancient Meyer Lansky, notorious mobster, recounting his life to a biographer (Sam Worthington), A common premise, in this case based on a true story, including that of the biographer which, though encompassing both international intrigue contrasted with the writer's intimate family troubles, can't compare to the scenes with Keitel. The incidents chosen for flashbacks in Lansky's life are also excellent all around, well chosen and well assembled to give a cogent view of his part in gangster life and also the difficulties and disappointments of his private life A rewarding couple of hours.
An Overly Sympathetic Portrayal of Lansky
lavatch30 January 2022
Warning: Spoilers
There were many strengths to "Lansky," including the crisp photography, beautiful location filming, and the old cars. The period is primarily the early 1980s, as Meyer Lansky reflects on his career in organized crime. But the earlier decades were also filmed effectively.
The performances were outstanding with Harvey Keitel as Lansky and Sam Worthington as David Stone, the biographer who is conducting interviews with Lansky. The relationship of author and subject was dynamically developed in the film.
As depicted in the film, Lansky was portrayed far too sympathetically. Obviously, he had a strained and unhealthy relationship with his wife Anne. The film still seeks to show Lansky as a devoted family man who had undying love for a son with cerebral palsy.
In Lansky's words, he was "an angel with a dirty face." That generous description best sums up the perspective of the filmmaker. Lansky wanted Stone to write a book that would sum up his legacy as a decent human being. Lansky felt betrayed when Israel forced him to return to the United States to face criminal charges.
The unflappable Lansky beat the charges and apparently kept secret the location of an enormous stash of money. In his search for atonement, he eventually discovered the perfect set of people to immortalize him in a work of hagiography: the producers of this film.
The performances were outstanding with Harvey Keitel as Lansky and Sam Worthington as David Stone, the biographer who is conducting interviews with Lansky. The relationship of author and subject was dynamically developed in the film.
As depicted in the film, Lansky was portrayed far too sympathetically. Obviously, he had a strained and unhealthy relationship with his wife Anne. The film still seeks to show Lansky as a devoted family man who had undying love for a son with cerebral palsy.
In Lansky's words, he was "an angel with a dirty face." That generous description best sums up the perspective of the filmmaker. Lansky wanted Stone to write a book that would sum up his legacy as a decent human being. Lansky felt betrayed when Israel forced him to return to the United States to face criminal charges.
The unflappable Lansky beat the charges and apparently kept secret the location of an enormous stash of money. In his search for atonement, he eventually discovered the perfect set of people to immortalize him in a work of hagiography: the producers of this film.
"I'm here to tell you the real story."
classicsoncall11 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
You never really know with a picture like this how much is accurate and how much is given to poetic license. On the face of it, I'd say it was reasonably credible on the major highlights of Meyer Lansky's life, a figure who was instrumental in the development of the National Crime Syndicate in the United States. I would have preferred seeing Harvey Keitel more involved in events that took place in Lansky's life instead of being an interview subject, but that's what we get as he provides a fascinating narrative of how Lansky rose through the ranks of organized crime. One aspect that certainly stands out was how impersonal he was in his relationships with mob associates, as evidenced by his standing aside on a council decision to rub out Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel (David Cade) when the man got too greedy during his oversight of the Las Vegas casino operation. Perhaps Lansky's greatest strength, apart from his facility with numbers, was his ability to maintain secrecy over every aspect of his income derived from illegitimate sources. His mocking note to the FBI stating that 'You will never find it', and left in a safety deposit box, was indicative of his highly confidential nature. In describing himself to author David Stone, portrayed by Sam Worthington, Lansky borrowed from that classic Jimmy Cagney picture when he calls himself 'an angel with a dirty face'. An angel might have been a bit of an exaggeration.
boring and inaccurate
howboutthisone_huh27 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Great cast, terrible story. Great production, terrible directing. The result, boring, boring, boring. And factually incorrect because lansky didn't pioneer anything. But thanks to the producers of this ilk, the myth carries on. Did he build a large criminal enterprise; yes. But crediting him with the gambling industry today makes about as much sense as saying bill gates invented software. It's just incredibly amazing that people think casinos and gambling started with las vegas, which by the way wasn't built in las vegas. Yep, the flamingo, trop, sands, stardust were actually built outside the city limits so the mob didn't have to deal with city officials. The part about bribing city officials in the film is just nonsense. The 'strip' as it's known is outside city limits. Google it. The city today only occupies about 1/4th the metro area. But google it, reno was larger than vegas at the end of the war. Reno was hugely more well known before the war and it already had casinos and a tourism industry that dwarfed las vegas. Slightly bigger population but considerably larger number of tourists, and I'm including lake tahoe as well. But, the mob couldn't build in reno without the approval of the city, the casino owners and other shadowy bigwigs. The sign in reno, "biggest little city in the world", still there, basically was a message to the mob, don't come here. There's actually a funny scene in godfather I that's based on this. So why didn't Reno become the world's entertainment city? It's partly because those who controlled reno never wanted the attention and growth; again, the sign. Vegas is a marketing mirage created by a loose confederation of self-interested business interests with one goal. Bring as many punters to the place as you can. That's why today 3/4ths of nevadans live in the vegas metro area despite the hot climate in the summer, 4 inches of rainfall every year, vegas throat and many other things. And 'marketing' is why vegas has grown from 250k back in the 70s to over 2 million today. A growth of 1000%. If the US grew at the same rate, there would be 2 billion people living in the US today. And where did lansky and seigel come from? The gambling industry in california. Everything about early las vegas is based on the gambling industry in california, particularly southern california. The payoffs, bribes, organized crime, murders, tax evasion, was all part of that industry. Gambling, although mostly illegal, was everwhere, from san francisco to san diego. Horses and off track betting, illegal casinos, boats, you name it but there was a tremendous amount of corruption and competition, and scandal, and publicity. The history of gambling in california has all been forgotten in the mirage of vegas. Nobody remembers anymore that the mob moved to vegas to get away from california, the corruption, publicity and all and to an area they could control. The mob, howard hughes, tony hseih all came to vegas because vegas had one thing they couldn't get anywhere else: control. If california had legalized gambling back in the 30s, and institutionalized the industry and got rid of the corruption, vegas would be a town most people never heard of, like pahrump. What does that have to do with this film? Read the end credits. Basically they give lansky credit for building las vegas and pioneering gambling which is about as ridiculous as the rest of this film. But if you believe that then you probably believe lance armstrong won 7 tour de france races. #livestrong #vegasstrong But, that's history for you. Nobody 'altavista's something. No, it's google this, and google that. Nobody says xerox anymore, however the brits still say 'hoover'.
Low budget gangster film
elliotjeory15 June 2022
And that is mostly the problem as well as the script as the film has flashbacks which show the 1920s scene of crime without the set pieces, just moody gangsters in warehouses and offices. Needed more money to capture the era. The main characters in the flashback were a little underwhelming too.
Good Story
celt00726 June 2021
All thou much is fictionalized Harvey Keitel is awesome as usual to watch .
Well acted ( awards for Harvey ) .
Its a bit slow its not a gangster action film but a story of the life of Lansky.
A violent man driven to succeed in the criminal world of the United States .
I say watch this film for the acting .
Well acted ( awards for Harvey ) .
Its a bit slow its not a gangster action film but a story of the life of Lansky.
A violent man driven to succeed in the criminal world of the United States .
I say watch this film for the acting .
Kietell Is Sterling in Lansky Lite Bio
NanoFrog30 November 2021
This is Lansky Lite. It is the crib notes of one of the most influential and least understood American Gangsters, a founder and shaper, there at the beginning of the Five Families. It goes fast and glosses over a lot, but Kietel does a very sensitive and lovely portrayal, one of his best efforts. This is yet another pretentious wriiten by/Directed by bit of hubris, as both the writer and the director have a loose grip and a superficial eye. I could imagine this history of a gangster made by someone with real talent, real stature but it was made by this lightweight directer who gives us the fast food version of an iconic American Gangster. His only good move was casting Harvey Kietel who did him one better, clearly for his own reasons.
Like a cake stuffed with sawdust
smedegaard25 June 2021
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