If you can relate to the great American author Arthur Miller who wrote the stage and theater play Death of a Salesman than you know the tragic life that Willy Loman the main character in Death of a salesman had. Frank Vincent plays Lou Marazano an aging mobster muscle who never makes captain of his crew. Now Lou's legacy is his daughter and his young grandson. Lou realizes that he has not always been the best father to his daughter during his lifetime of criminal activities. He wants to make things right in his waning years.
Lou's son-in-law is a low life criminal who would rather snort cocaine and hang out at the local strip club than spend any quality time with his wife and son. Lou takes it upon himself to just talk to his step son but this low life has little respect for an aging mobster who could never make captain in his crew. Lou needs to set this scumbag straight not on who he is as a man, but that his grandson needs his father and if his son-in-law does not want to fulfill his parental obligations Lou has an alternative plan.
To make some extra money Lou agrees to take on the contract hits of three local stool pigeons who are going to proceed to court against a mob boss. Lou's signature for completing a contract hit was to always send the widow a bunch of flowers minus the sympathy card. There is an old detective named Ralph Maloney played very well by character actor Danny Goldring who remembers this old mobster's signature calling card but he has to prove that Lou Marazano has come out of retirement after almost 30 years of staying silent with his gun.
So the chase is on and the story line I felt was not only appealing but intriguing and kept the audience guessing how this modern day Willy Loman copycat would end up. Actor Mike Starr plays mob boss Lorenzo Galante who is taking his instructions from the big boss Stefano D'Agnostino played by Armand Assante who orders the hit on the three witnesses that aging Lou Marazano pleads to take on as he really needs the money. We learn later that the assassination money is to be used for only good purposes which I don't want to spoil for anyone who has yet to see this good mobster film.
Lou also has a love interest in the attractive Lorraine Lionello played by the versatile actress Kathrine Narducci. I just loved her role in the Chazz Palminteri 1993 crime film "A Bronx Tale". She played the mother of a young boy named Calogero who was torn between his love for his bus driver dad played by Robert DeNiro and the local mob boss Chazz Palminteri. In my opinion, this is one of the best crime films I have ever seen and it ranks right up there with the Godfather.
As for Chicago Overcoat the title refers to a 1940's term for a gangster rubbing out his opposition and when the dead guy is in his coffin, he is termed to be wearing a Chicago overcoat. The film is well worth watching and I must say I like the way the film ended. I will say no more but encourage you to watch the film. I rate it a 6 out of 10.
