Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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“Mafia Mamma” doesn’t feel like a theatrical release but rather a movie you’d expect to be released on a streaming platform.
| Director(s) | Catherine Hardwicke |
| Screenplay By | J. Michael Feldman, Debbie Jhoon |
| Based On | Story By Amanda Sthers |
| Date Released (In Theaters) | April 11, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Comedy, Crime |
| Duration | 1 Hour 41 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Rated R |
| Noted Cast | |
| Kristin | Toni Collette |
| Paul | Tim Daish |
| Domenick | Tommy Rodger |
| Bianca | Monica Bellucci |
| Fabrizio | Eduardo Scarpetta |
This content contains pertinent spoilers.
Film Summary
Kristin needs a mid-life crisis. She hates her job, because her boss and co-workers are misogynistic asswipes, her husband, Paul, is dependent on her, and while she loves her son, Domenick, he is off to college and really needs his space.
So, the death of her grandfather and Bianca telling Kristin she has inherited the position as the head of an import/export business (read: mafia family) couldn’t have came at a better time. Well, if you don’t include the family being at the brink of war, her cousin Fabrizio being upset he was passed over, and no sooner than Kristin ascends to being the Don, having her life, safety, and freedom threatened.
But hey, for the first time in three years, she has sex, and the gelato is all TripAdvisor said it would be.
Things To Note
Why Is “Mafia Mamma” Rated R
- Dialog: Cursing throughout
- Violence: Gun violence, blood, dismemberment
- Sexual Content: Not really – there is foreplay, but no sex
- Miscellaneous: Drinking, smoking
Question(s) Left Unanswered
- I wasn’t the only one who assumed Bianca was married to Kristin’s grandfather, right?
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Kristin
Middle-aged, unstimulated, clinging to her son for the love and affection her husband doesn’t give, Kristin’s life is in rough shape. But, as Bianca molds her and external stimuli from a lot of dangerous encounters change her, Kristin rediscovers who she is.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Margot Cleary-Lopez in “The Power,” Joni Thrombey in “Knives Out,” Leslie in “Hearts Beat Loud,” and Tara Gregson in “United States of Tara.”
Fabrizio
Fabrizio is Kristin’s hot-headed cousin who caused a lot of the family’s drama, and is pissed that he was passed over to be Don.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Pasquale Pelusi in “My Brilliant Friend”
Bianca
Bianca was the former Don’s right hand and perhaps the highest-ranked person in his organization that wasn’t family.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Alessandra in “Mozart in the Jungle,” Lucia in “Spectre,” and Persephone in “The Matrix” franchise.
Paul
Paul is a musician who has long stopped putting in any effort into his marriage and seems to look for joy elsewhere.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Karl in “Another End” and a role in “My Brilliant Friend.”
Domenick
Domenick is Kristin and Paul’s son, who recently started college.
- You May Also Know The Actor From Being: Peter in “The Alienist” and Jordie in “Shadow and Bone.”
Review
Our Rating: Positive (Worth Seeing)
Highlights
“Mafia Mamma” Can Potentially Grow On You
Like its title, the comedy of “Mafia Mamma” can be a little weak, maybe even cringy. However, after Kristin gets acclimated to being a Don, there is a shift in the film that can make it or break it for viewers. Either you will like how, even if she relies heavily on luck, Kristin gets good at being the head of a family, or you’ll think this gets too ridiculous.
To us, the fish out of water story Kristin goes through is entertaining, especially as she embraces her rage while still being a kind and nurturing woman. Her version of “Eat, Pray, Love” might be imperfect, but Toni Collette does imperfect better than most.
Quick Pacing, Partly Thanks to The Violence
“Mafia Mamma” moves relatively quickly. Yes, Kristin’s family and another mafia family have beefed for ages and have killed major players on each side. Yet, despite what should take the entire movie, about halfway through, peace is brokered. Not permanently, because new industries come about, and that causes issues. However, because the film never dwells on anything too long, it makes it so that if you aren’t into the comedy or Kristin’s story too much, at least you don’t feel like you’re waiting forever for this film to end. Especially since the violence, has the film truly deserve its R rating.
On The Fence
The Comedy Is So Corny
From running gags of spitting when a family’s name is spoken, watching Kristin be shocked when anyone within her mob or another does something wild, to it just being clear how out of place she is? The comedy isn’t for everyone, and you can even say, for an R-Rated mobster film, “Mafia Mamma” takes an unpaved road and challenges expectations in a way that can be hit or miss.
To us, I think you’ll chuckle a bit throughout the movie, but I won’t pretend that there weren’t times I didn’t roll my eyes as, months into being the head of the family, Kristin showed that she still wasn’t acclimated. Never mind, people not used to her. Never mind, Kristin has a token Black friend who might be a well-accomplished lawyer who speaks multiple languages but still feels very much like a token.
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