Review of The Many Saints of Newark (2021) by Arrivist — 07 Oct 2021
As someone who has watched the entire Sopranos series at least five times it pains me to say that Many Saints of Newark is a big disappointment. There are a few strong scenes but they are few and far between. The film just feels like a rip-off greatest hits of past Sopranos moments without the clever writing and dry humour simply isn't there. The casting choices are bizarre. Worst of all, and I hate to use this word, it's boring.
Nivola is a good actor but he's not convincing as Dickie Moltisanti. None of the characters in Many Saints get an arc or proper development, and as a result, there's no real emotional pay-off in key moments.
One of the best cinematic moments is when Dickie kills his Goomar by the beach, which is promptly diminished by an inappropriate, Zach Snyder-esque, needle drop. Why?
The only positive take-away is Michael Gandolfini, who lights up the screen. He has a different intensity and charisma than his father, but he definitely has the makings of a varsity actor.
Frankly I'm depressed and ashamed, not even Quasimodo could have predicted this.
This review of The Many Saints of Newark (2021) was written by Arrivist on 07 Oct 2021.
The Many Saints of Newark has generally received mixed reviews.
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