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The Family (2013)



The Family (2013)



5/10



Starring
Robert De Niro
Michelle Pfeiffer
Tommy Lee Jones


Directed by Luc Besson


Regardless of what has been said or what I’m going to say, I liked the movie. I think it’s because of the teenagers in it. They were very violent and smart in a way that proved a Mafia Boss was truly their father, and they learned a lot from him. That is all I liked in the movie, the rest of the plot wasted the talent of the cast that it was to work with.

Then, when things turned sour, their actions were just annoying, and I started to resent the film. But their annoying behavior didn’t last long—soon, they picked up guns and started killing the other bad guys.

The Family is a 2013 film that isn’t going to be on many high scorers’ lists this year—or ever. But I liked it and wished I could rate it higher. The story is very glitchy, and the plot had many holes. Then there’s the character of Giovanni, played by Robert De Niro, who lacked the finesse I would have expected, especially knowing he’s had training in being a Mafia Boss in The Godfather Part II (1974).

The movie is about a Mafia Boss, Giovanni, who ratted out his Mafia friends to the Feds. Now, he’s in witness protection with a $20 million bounty on his head. He and his family are finding it hard to settle anywhere—every time they try to make a life in a new place, something goes wrong, forcing them to move again.

The movie is based on the novel Malavita by Tonino Benacquista and is directed by Luc Besson (Taken (2008)). It’s an English-French action-crime comedy that could have been great if the producers had put more effort into it and hired someone else to adapt the story.

In the end, the movie is a critical failure but a commercial success in its own right. I do think Tommy Lee Jones is getting too old to play tough guy roles, even if it just means standing around looking tough. On the other hand, I can never get tired of seeing Michelle Pfeiffer. She’s one woman I always love seeing on TV, and it was because of her that I decided to watch the movie in the first place.

Is this a movie I would recommend for you to go see? Nope. I may have enjoyed it, but I can’t guarantee anyone else will. So, if you catch it on TV one evening, just sit through it.

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