Review of The Family (2013) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014

Directed by Luc Besson (The Big Blue (1988), Léon (1994) and The Fifth Element (1997)), produced by Martin Scorsese and based upon Tonino Benacquista's book Malavita. This is a very silly film about mobsters and fish-out-of-water culture clashes, not all of the gags work and it does come across as more surreal and offbeat than laugh-out-loud funny, but it does have it's moments and a good cast.

New York mobster Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro) came under attack from rival mob bosses back home, and now, he and his wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer), son Warren (John D'Leo) and daughter Belle (Dianna Agron) have been placed into the witness protection programme, supervised by FBI agent Agent Robert Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones).

The Manzoni's, now living as the Blake family, now live in Normandy, France. It's not the first time they've had to be moved, as wherever they go, they always manage to cause trouble, through circumstances within and beyond their control, but it's not long before the New York mob find the Blakes.

While it does make the most of the beautiful locales in Normandy, it's just De Niro sending himself up, again. There's even a cinema screening of Goodfellas (1990) in this film, but don't let that put you off, as this has a very French feel to it, like outsiders looking in.

It's not perfect, but there are some amusing moments.