1957, New York City. Frank Costello (Robert De Niro) has run organised crime in the city since his childhood friend Vito Genevese (also played by Robert De Niro) had to flee to Italy. With everything running smoothly he is almost considered a legitimate member of the community. So when Genevese returns expecting his territory to be handed back to him a power struggle ensues. 

Opening somewhere in the middle of the story it plays out with De Niro narrating as Costello and alongside its usage of old photographs and video footage it gives the feeling of watching an old news reel or documentary. The story itself will also feel somewhat familiar to any gangster movie aficionado with one of the bosses being a pragmatist trying to keep business booming by remaining low key and not rocking the boat and the other boss being a firebrand who wants what is owing to him as quickly as possible regardless of consequences. 

Based on a true story, this gangster drama feels like a throwback to yesteryear. Something that may not have helped its chances at the box office but that gives it an eminently watchable feel. The creatives here are mainly from the era when gangster movies meant big business. Director Barry Levinson has always had hits and misses and his last film that had any success was 1997’s Wag The Dog, also starring De Niro. Writer Nicholas Pileggi will forever be most famous for penning Goodfellas. And then there is of course Robert De Niro who is gangster movie royalty. The decision to have him play both lead roles here is oddly gimmicky. The characters are not related in anyway, just childhood friends. Making the decision to have the same actor play both roles a little unorthodox. Nevertheless De Niro does a wonderful job giving both characters very different identities and the scenes they share together are technically seamless and work very well. 

There are no real negatives to speak of other than the absence of any real storytelling fireworks. Just like its narrator, The Alto Knights, named for the social club its characters frequented, is pragmatic and steady. 

It will not be remembered alongside the greats of the genre but there is a lot to like here if you enjoy a gangster flick.