Boss of Bosses

This story has been modified for the screen without a doubt. For the assassination scene two eight-round semi-autos fired twenty-two shots with no visible reloads, leaving shell casings as evidence all over the place? Okay, so I have high standards for docudramas. The book this was based on was pretty good. It did not portray Paul Castellano as sympathetically as was done in the movie. For those with an interest in this story and no time to read it's okay, but don't kid yourself that this is the whole story.

all i will say is that this movie was decent, nothing more, nothing less. it's not exactly anything to get excited about as it is no more than average. the whole way through the film, i got the impression it was trying to copy other mafia films. for example the flashback to when chazz was a young hood reminded me so much of the first half of once upon a time in america and the trip to florida resembled that of donnie brasco.

nevertheless, chazz was brilliant and i would recommend this 'movie' to any fans of him, its just a shame he was reduced to this when he far more capable of more challenging roles. it was also nice to see steven bauer but a shame he had such a small role in a virtually unheard of movie.

C+

This movie is fascinating to me on a whole variety of levels. First off I liked it alot as it has Roy De Meo featured in it (see message board for details). Chazz Palmenteri was also a good choice to play Paul Castellano as he had the look and the forceful character needed to pull it off. I thought it was brilliant how they tied in the initial scene and the last scene. I liked how they did the sequence of events leading up to demise of Paul and the Family. No this isn't a comprehensive look at the Gambino Family or Paul Castellano but it still gets the point across. This is the story of a racketeer (I don't use the word "gangster" here as that refers to street level type mafia men like Gotti or Dellacroce who were "blue collar" mobsters even though they really weren't) who thought he was a businessman. He has the brains but not the brawn to stay alive. All he wants to do is make more money and run things like a CEO instead of a real criminal. His soldiers neither fear nor respect him and things quickly spin right out of control right in front of your eyes. "This drug thing is too big there is too much money in it!" Piney Armone says, and Paul just doesn't get that. Paul really says one thing but does another time and time again. He makes the rules and does not follow them period. He systematically p***es off those who work under him and tries to kill every mob guy who crosses him. He finally meets his match when he tries to off John Gotti. Paul fails to appreciate the fact that while his friend Neil is keeping John alive he is also keeping Paul alive. He lost touch with the street and did not have the pulse of his men which is a recipe for disaster. If this movie teaches you anything about the mob its that no one is bulletproof not even and in some cases ESPECIALLY the boss and greed gets you killed quicker than sin. History has shown us that the boss can be the first one to die if the conditions are right and things don't go his way mob rules be damned. This movie is pro-Castellano but I gotta tell you it doesn't stick when you are in possession of the WHOLE truth. I end this review by saying this movie wasn't perfect or completely accurate but its an interesting, gripping story and very powerful from start to finish.

"Boss of Bosses" tells of the rise, reign, and fall of mob boss Paul Castellano (Palminteri) with the emphasis on his reign as head of the Gambino crime family. "BofB" plays as a rather ordinary made-for-tv biopic centered on a marginally interesting crime figure with Palminteri seemingly helplessly in need of some quality direction. Passable stuff only for the terminally bored or those with an interest in organized crime.

I'm a big mafia movie fan.I'v seen them all. Boss of Bosses does a good job in depicting the the come up of young Paul Costellano and Carlo Gambino. This is not bad for a TV movie and i give them full credit.

Unfortunately I have some criticism to share. The story lacks action like other mafia flicks. Also, in my opinion I think they portrayed Paul Costellano as a nice caring guy, come on who are they trying to fool. Finally they put the Icing on the cake when they show John Gotti. I couldn't stop laughing, this guy is the worst Gotti ever, he looks nothing like him. He looked like a wimp.

I Don't mean to take cheap shots at the film, but I am a movie buff and I am not going to b.s. anybody.