by Cookie N Screen
There are certain films that on first glance seem to be enticingly excellent that you have to watch it. Especially with the cast list, it seems that nothing can go wrong. So when The Family first arrived with Robert De Niro and Michelle Pffiefer as head of the mafia family locating to the sleepy Riveria of Southern France failing to adjust, you’d think; yes, this is the film for me. And when they released the trailer, it looks like a tongue in the cheek, fun filled ride that’s entertaining and full of action.
Unfortunately, the final product is lacklustre at best.
There are certain films that on first glance seem to be enticingly excellent that you have to watch it. Especially with the cast list, it seems that nothing can go wrong. So when The Family first arrived with Robert De Niro and Michelle Pffiefer as head of the mafia family locating to the sleepy Riveria of Southern France failing to adjust, you’d think; yes, this is the film for me. And when they released the trailer, it looks like a tongue in the cheek, fun filled ride that’s entertaining and full of action.
Unfortunately, the final product is lacklustre at best.
The Family is a comedy action film that also stars Diane Aragon (Quinn from Glee.) It revolves around the Mazoni family who are under witness protection after their father Giovanni spilled the beans on his associates. While trying to hide from violent killers, the government place them into the depths of Southern France and small town life. Unfortunately, you can take the family out of the mafia but you can’t take the mafia out of the family. And as soon as the residents of the village start pissing them off, the family start bumping them off in an all habits die hard kind of way. But will their past catch up with them?
What a waste of a decent plot. Director and writer Luc Besson sort of squanders his cast and premise for no noticeable good reason, therefore making The Family rather bland. Shifting quickly between different narratives, there is a lack of focus on the initial drama and you lose the grip on the movie. Initially, it starts off as a decent tale of a violent thug family trying to assimilate to the lazy French. But gradually it spins off into these sub-par, sub plots that don’t work as a whole film and barely work as vignettes especially the haphazard narration of Giovanni writing an autobiography on his gangster life. Not to mention that the characters who are pretty unlikeable with no redeeming feature other than the fact that they love each, and The Family just becomes dull.
What a waste of a decent plot. Director and writer Luc Besson sort of squanders his cast and premise for no noticeable good reason, therefore making The Family rather bland. Shifting quickly between different narratives, there is a lack of focus on the initial drama and you lose the grip on the movie. Initially, it starts off as a decent tale of a violent thug family trying to assimilate to the lazy French. But gradually it spins off into these sub-par, sub plots that don’t work as a whole film and barely work as vignettes especially the haphazard narration of Giovanni writing an autobiography on his gangster life. Not to mention that the characters who are pretty unlikeable with no redeeming feature other than the fact that they love each, and The Family just becomes dull.
This is an absolute shame because all players are on point here. Pffiefer is excellent as the mother of the house hold who is struggling to adapt and protect her family at the same time. Robert De Niro flawlessly assumes his gangster mafia role that we all love from him and has this emotional turmoil bubbling underneath him. With Aragon and relative newcomer John D’Leo as their children than they all portray a convincing family on the run. Many have commented on Aragon as being ridiculously good as a lusting girl who kicks ass all at the same time but it’s D’Leo who truly excels as Warren, the youngest who manages to deconstruct the French school in a matter of days.
Set against a beautiful French backdrop and hazy summer village than The Family has. It gets a little lost in itself and fails to hold your attention. If there is nothing else on then it may be worth a punt as background noise for an ill or lazy day. Other than that, it is a stupidly tedious and you’ll find yourself nodding off before any deaths occur.
Set against a beautiful French backdrop and hazy summer village than The Family has. It gets a little lost in itself and fails to hold your attention. If there is nothing else on then it may be worth a punt as background noise for an ill or lazy day. Other than that, it is a stupidly tedious and you’ll find yourself nodding off before any deaths occur.
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