Mafia movies have been captivating audiences for decades. After the massive success of The Godfather in 1972, the genre grew and grew, creating a wave of classics. Movies like Goodfellas, Casino, and Donnie Brasco have etched themselves into pop culture history and proven themselves to be timeless.
As many attempted to copy the formula of Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather, some gangster pictures simply couldn’t live up to its prowess and have since been forgotten. However, there are a plethora of Mafia movies that have been unjustly overlooked. So, here’s our pick of the 5 most underrated Mafia movies.
5. Kill the Irishman (2011)
Kill the Irishman is one of the most overlooked and under-seen Mafia movies of the last few decades. Despite its strong cast and smooth direction from Jonathan Hensleigh, it has fell under the radar rather largely. The picture is based on the real-life story of Danny Greene (portrayed by Ray Stevenson), an Irish-American mobster in Cleveland, who became notable for his rise within organized crime during the 1970s. The tightly-paced crime drama stands out for its thriller feel as the story chronicles Greene’s battle against the Italian-American mafia in Cleveland, particularly his conflicts with the Genovese syndicate and other crime families.
Alongside Stevenson is stellar supporting cast including Val Kilmer, Oscar-winner Christopher Walken, Vincent D’Onofrio, Vinnie Jones, and Linda Cardellini. Kill the Irishman was a box office flop, only grossing just over $1 million against a reported budget of $12 million. Since then, it has garnered somewhat of a second wind on streaming sites, however, it is still not well-known compared to its contemporaries within the gangster genre. The movie is raw and gritty but its lower budget is felt through its production value, which may have hurt its critical consensus.
4. The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a 1973 crime drama that stands out as an overlooked gem in the mafia genre, featuring a hauntingly nuanced performance by Robert Mitchum in the titular role. Set in Boston, the film doesn’t centre on the typical New York Mafia figures cinema is used to, however, the web of crime spreads wide and the Mafia’s presence is felt throughout. The story follows Eddie Coyle, a small-time gunrunner who is trying to navigate the dangerous waters of organized crime while facing mounting pressure from law enforcement. As he grapples with his precarious situation, Eddie must make moral compromises and navigate treachery among criminals and informants alike as he grapples with integrity when he is asked to become an informant.
The Friends of Eddie Coyle received warm praise from critics when it was released, however, it did not land big with audiences. This could be attributed to the movie following a year after the box office titan that was The Godfather. By this point, audiences were still warming to the gangster genre, and perhaps many believed no film could top Coppola’s Oscar-winning crime epic.
3. State of Grace (1990)
Released in 1990, State of Grace is another crime drama that has widely become considered to be an overlooked Mafia movie. Starring Sean Penn in the lead role, the story follows Terry Noonan (Penn), a Boston cop who returns home to Hells Kitchen New York after a 10 year absence. When he arrives, he is recruited to infiltrate the mob. As he reconnects with his best friend Jackie (Gary Oldman), and rekindles an old flame with Jackie’s sister Kathleen (Robin Wright), he soon faces a moral dilemma when he realizes Jackie has ties to the mob.
State of Grace is a slow-burn drama that crescendos into carnage by the end of the picture. However, before all hell breaks lose, the picture moves at a slow pace, focusing much more on character studies. On the surface, it is a gritty crime genre, but at its core, it is much more of a tale about friendship, loyalty, and how far someone will go to protect those they care about.
2. The Outfit (2022)
The Outfit, while critically acclaimed, has not quite landed itself in the list of iconic Mafia movies. However, considering that it was only released in 2022, there’s still time yet. With Oscar-winner Mark Rylance in the lead role, this carefully crafted crime thriller is set in a singular location across one tense evening. Rylance plays Leonard, a master English tailor who operates a corner tailor shop in Chicago. When two killers walk into his shop asking for a favor, his quiet existence is shattered when he becomes embroiled in a conspiracy that includes many Mafia figures. The Outfit is a dialogue heavy movie that is carried masterfully by Rylance in a subtle yet nuanced role. For a gangster movie lacking in violence, it is refreshing to see a filmmaker take the genre into another realm, executing tension with compelling discourse instead of action.
1. Carlito’s Way (1993)
Carlito’s Way is a movie that has grown more iconic in the years following its initial release. However, it is still overlooked by many Mafia movies of its time. The picture saw Al Pacino re-team with Brian De Palma after the triumph of the crime classic, Scarface. So, it’s safe to say that many went into this movie expecting pure carnage and mayhem, but what they got was much more of a drama spliced with romance.
Carlito’s Way is much more a tale of a man trying to walk away from his sins and better himself, whereas Mafia movies are typically formulated in the opposite direction. The story follows Carlito (Pacino), a Puerto Rican mobster who has just been released from prison and intends to go legit and save up enough money to relocate to the Bahamas with his girlfriend Gail (Penelope Ann Miller). However, his old connections have other plans for him, and when his hot-headed lawyer lands himself in trouble with the Italian Mafia, Carlito is dragged back into a life of crime. Carlito’s Way was overlooked come awards season and only grossed $36,948,322 against a budget of $30 million. But over the years, it has become a hidden gem for many moviegoers.
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