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Watching “American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson” with my wife has been an eye-opening experience (this is my second time watching it, and it is her first), and I am once again impressed by the show’s depth and overall quality. Among the things that stand out on a second viewing are the ensemble performers, who were a little overshadowed by Emmy winners Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance, and Sterling K. Brown on the first viewing. In particular, John Travolta is outstanding as Bob Shapira, striking the perfect balance between old-school bravado and growing insecurity in his performance. Travolta’s portrayal of John Gotti in “Gotti” has a tinge of Shapiro’s arrogance to it, but that’s about all the film has in common with the FX series. It’s possible that a great movie about John Gotti will be made one day. This isn’t the one, either.
“Gotti,” directed by Kevin Connolly (yes, “E” from “Entourage” is now directing movies), is a film in which there is no narration. It takes inspiration from popular culture representations of mobsters in order to create a Frankenmob film. “Gotti” is a film that has no point of view. It jumps back and forth between eras of Gotti’s life, shifting from his son’s perspective (it’s based on a book by John Jr.) to the old man’s perspective, and is cluttered with enough clichéd lines of dialogue to play “Mob Jargon Bingo.” The film’s point of view is essentially that of someone who has overdosed on “Goodfellas” and “The Sopranos,” and then watched a Discovery Channel special about Gotti that they have no recollection of.
While it may be fashionable these days to conclude biopics with photographs of the real-life subjects of the film, Connolly chooses to open with a montage of Gotti photos and clips set to a new song by Pitbull, who contributes multiple songs to the film, including some of his biggest hits, rather than this practice. Because, of course, when someone thinks of John Gotti, they immediately think of Pitbull.
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A conversation between an older Gotti and his son, who is contemplating taking a plea in a case that he is currently facing, serves as the framework for the rest of “Gotti,” which jumps around through the greatest hits of Gotti’s rise in the mafia. Dad is an old-fashioned mob boss, and the idea of taking a plea bargain is just below the idea of ratting on the list of Cardinal Sins in his book of priorities. You are not a willing participant in the government. You never give up on your fight. Never let them have the upper hand. And Gotti was famous for defying charges over and over again, earning him the nickname “the Teflon Don.”
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In “Gotti,” the story of Gotti’s rise from a mob soldier to the organization’s supreme leader is sketched out, but it’s really just an excuse for the kind of terrible mob dialogue that reminded me more of the satirical “Mafioso!,” rather than of anything else. Gotti says things like “There is no choice—there is only what you do,” and he talks about manhood and duty so much that it becomes numb before the show is even halfway through. Even when Gotti threatens someone by parking a bus “up your ass fucking sideways,” the film simply indulges in the clichés, and the result is that this portrayal of Gotti never comes across as threatening.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Gotti quiz.
Like Connolly was well aware that what he was really presenting was a collection of nice outfits and a bad Joisey accent, he liberally sprinkles his film with musical choices that include James Brown, Dean Martin, The Escape Club, Duran Duran, and a smattering of Pitbull. Over-reliance on music is a common filmmaking stumbling block, and even the crutch used here is grating. Not only is it a film with an excessive number of musical choices, but the choices are also not quite right.
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Gotti lived during a turbulent period in the history of the mob, and the story of how he came to be in that position and the manner in which he wielded his power could make for an interesting film. It would have to be a more in-depth look at a particular period of his life, or it could even become a series. “Gotti,” on the other hand, is a film that never delves into the life of its title character and instead relies on music, makeup, and clichés to get by. Gotti may have committed murder, but he deserved better treatment than he was getting here.
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This review is based on the version of “Gotti” that screened at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this month, and not the theatrical release.
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