The Many Saints of Newark (2021)
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A prequel to The Sopranos explores the lives of a mobster and his teenage nephew amidst the 1967 Newark riots.
The story
Set in Newark, New Jersey, during the 1967 riots, the film follows the lives of mobster Dickie Moltisanti and his teenage nephew, Tony Soprano. As the city erupts in violence and racial tension, the two navigate the complexities of the DiMeo crime family. The narrative explores their evolving relationship and the consequences of their actions within the criminal underworld during a period of significant civil unrest. The story serves as a prequel to the television series The Sopranos, establishing the origins of key characters and the environment of the Italian-American community in New Jersey.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1967, a young Tony Soprano accompanies his mentor, Dickie Moltisanti, to welcome Dickie's father and his new bride. Following a series of events during the Newark riots, Dickie murders his friend's father and burns a building. Years later, the plot follows the escalating tensions between the Moltisanti and other criminal elements, including a black criminal family led by Harold McBrayer. Amidst the turmoil, Dickie and Tony develop a complex bond. After a series of betrayals and violence, including the death of several associates, Dickie eventually tries to distance himself from Tony. However, just as he attempts to reconcile, he is assassinated on his way home. The film concludes with Tony mourning Dickie, while the narrative establishes the groundwork for the events of the original series.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 120
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Alan Taylor
- Writers
- David Chase · writer; Lawrence Konner · writer
- Cast and characters
- Alessandro Nivola · Dickie; Michael Gandolfini · Tony; Leslie Odom Jr.; Jon Bernthal; Corey Stoll; Billy Magnussen; Michela De Rossi; John Magaro; Ray Liotta; Vera Farmiga
- Genres
- crime drama
- Themes
- loyalty; mentorship; racial tension
- Tone and mood
- violent; darkly funny; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- prequel; crime; gangster
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Sopranos
- Franchise connections
- The Sopranos
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with many praising the performances of Gandolfini and Nivola, though some criticized the script. It was a success on HBO Max despite being a box-office bomb.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 48; PostTrak · score: 77% · scale: percentage
- Production trivia
- Ray Liotta's final release performance; Michael Gandolfini is the son of James Gandolfini; The film was initially scheduled for release in 2020
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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