The Traitor Review – Solid Italian Mob Drama Headed to OSCARS

The Traitor, Italy’s official entry in the 92nd Academy Awards, presents the true story of Tommaso Buscetta, the first Sicilian Mafia boss, who broke the scared bond of trust and agreed to become an informant working with the prosecutor.

Directed by Marco Bellocchio, The Traitor stars Pierfrancesco Favino, Luigi Lo Cascio, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Giovanni Calcagno, Fabrizio Ferracane, Fausto Russo, Nicola Cali, Bruno Cariello, Alberto Storti, Vincenzo Pirrotta, Goffredo Maria Bruno, Gabriele Cicirello, Paride Cicirello, Alessio Pratico, Pier Giorgio Bellacchio, Rosario Palazzolo, Antonio Orlando, Ada Nistico, Federica Butera, Ludovico Caldarera, Nunzia Lo Presti, Mattei Contino, Alberto Gottuso, Tatu La Vecchia, Massi,iliano Ubaldi, Filippo Parisi, Guiseppe di Marca and Nino Porzio.


Jacqueline Sauvage: It Was Him Or Me Review – Shocking, Triumphant Recreation, Resonating


The Traitor begins with a on screen backstory, it is the early 1980’s the world’s heroin travels through Palmero, and the two of the oldest Mob families, the Sicilian Family of Tommaso Buscetta and the Corleone family split the trade and profits.

Tonight, at a celebration both families are in the home of Sicilian Mob boss Tommaso Buscetta, played by Piersfrancesco Favino, a made man, and are celebrating a new year of continued success, money, and to bring peace between the families before the drug traffic profits create a war of greed which would end badly for everyone.

With the families celebrating, the men are eyeing each other trying to determine if they should end the bad blood or wait, Tommaso always on point and security minded, is staring at the ocean when he sees his son, Benedetto Busetta, played by Gabriele Cicirello, his oldest son lying on the sand stoned out of his mind.

As his son showed to the world his weakness, Tommaso takes him to be with the rest of his family. His third wife, Maria Cristina de Almedia Guimaraes, played by Maria Fernanda Candido, is trying to keep everyone happy while her husband, is trying to interpret the vibes from the Corleone’s.


Harriett Review – Hypnotizing, Extraordinary Character Driven Performances


The two are leaving. Tommaso explains to the Pippo Calo, played by Fabrizio Ferracane, the Buscetta family accountant, he and Maria are leaving for Palermo for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He asks him to watch out over his sons. Before you know it with Tommaso in Rio, a war between the families erupt. For Maria and Tommaso the season in Rio is bountiful and they have a new son.

Without knowing of the bloodshed in Palmero, he has grown somewhat calmer, and then he receives a phone call. Just a hello, and we see his reaction. Within days he receives notification his two sons and brother were slaughtered.

This is where the film moves into the second half of the film. The Traitor retells a time when the cartels of the world where beginning billionaires and pennies drove men to slaughter entire families.

Arrested and extradited to Italy by the Brazilian police, Buscetta makes a decision that will change everything for the Mafia: He decides to meet with Judge Giovanni Falcone and betray the eternal vow he made to the Cosa Nostra.


The Kill Team Review – War Drama Delivers with Strong Character Driven Performances


The film is captivating especially when the story behind it is understood beforehand. It isn’t a homage to violence and handles the high body count without adding gratuitous violence or excessive bloody scenes. I’ve seen worse gore in mainstream horror films.

A selection for the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, The Traitor is Italy’s official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards.

A solid mob film, The Traitor is similar to Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather or Martin Scorsese's Goodfellows or with a single difference, it is the true story of how and why one seemingly protected Sicilian Mob boss decides to break the sacred bond of trust and bring an end to the Cosa Nostra, as an all-out war raged between Sicilian mafia bosses over the heroin trade.


JoJo Rabbit Review – Perfect, Palpable, One of the Best Pictures of The Year


With limited distribution, The Traitor opens in France on November 6, 2019 and in the United States January 31, 2020. It is in Italian with English subtitles.

Haute Tease

  • Magic Theatre Announces Cast Of Ashlin Halfnight’s World Premiere The Resting Place

    Magic Theatre (Loretta Greco, Artistic Director and Jaimie Mayer, Managing Director) announced today the complete cast of Ashlin Halfnight's World Premiere The Resting Place, the first production of the 2018- 2019 season, directed by Jessica Holt.

     
  • President Carter Reveals Brain Cancer; Teaches Sunday Message to Standing Room Crowd

    Former President of the United States, James Earl “Jimmy” Carter, Jr., has announced he has been diagnosed with cancer that has spread to his brain, the 39th President has undergone radiation and other traditional forms of cancer treatment.

     
  • Le virus et l'Agenda du Monde

    Confrontée à l'apparition d'un nouveau variant, source d'inquiétude de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS), l'Humanité partagée entre la nécessité de lutter contre la pandémie et ses obligations économiques vitales, reste otage d'un variant qui dicte son agenda.

     
  • Beltway Insider: Obama Touts Nuke Deal; 9/11 WH Silence; Russia/Syria; Refugees; Biden Misstep; GOP

    President Obama is continuing to hold Democrats and Republicans responsible for their actions, as once again the two sides refuse to negotiate, with the federal budget three weeks from expiring the nation remains perilously close to a government shutdown.

     
  • Election 2016: 25 Things You Need to Know About Ted Cruz

    Texas Sen. Ted Cruz may be best known for his anti-Obamacare Senate speech that lasted over 21 hours and included a reading of “Green Eggs and Ham” (more on that later). But the fiery first-term senator played the politics game long before he trounced his establishment-backed rival, former Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, in the Republican Senate primary in 2012.

     
  • Du courage et de l’appétit

    Prise en étau par la brutalité de Donald Trump et le cynisme mortifère de Vladimir Poutine, l'Europe brille aujourd'hui par sa lâcheté et son incapacité à tenir tête aux deux grands. Si elle veut s'émanciper, elle devra faire de courage. A quel prix ?

Arts / Culture