Gotti (1996)

60% of critics liked it
(5 reviews)
77% of users liked it
(6,549 ratings)

Gotti is the semi-biographical tale of John Gotti, the infamous crime boss of the Gambino mob family. This drama chronicles not only the bloody rise of Gotti, also known as the "Dapper Don", but the FBI's struggle to bring him to justice. His refusal to play by the normal "rules" of the mafia… More Gotti is the semi-biographical tale of John Gotti, the infamous crime boss of the Gambino mob family. This drama chronicles not only the bloody rise of Gotti, also known as the "Dapper Don", but the FBI's struggle to bring him to justice. His refusal to play by the normal "rules" of the mafia ultimately became the mobster's achilles heel; the FBI eventually persuaded assassin Sammy "The Bull" Gravano to testify against his ungrateful, paranoid boss, who was finally imprisoned in 1982. Gotti is based in part on a book written by Jerry Capeci and Gene Mustain titled Mob Star: The Story of John Gotti. Gotti, directed by Robert Harmon stars Armand Assante as the complicated mafia lord, and also features actors Anthony Quinn and William Forsythe. The drama aired on HBO in 1996, unwittingly serving as a precursor to what would later become the wildly popular mob drama The Sopranos. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Robert Harmon
Genres: Drama, Television, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Aug 17, 1996 Wide
On DVD: Sep 19, 2000
Studio: HBO Video

Critic Reviews

James Rocchi, Netflix
Drama based on the rise and fall of the "Teflon Don" is more satisfying than it should be.

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Jeffrey M

Gotti is a gritty, well acted, and complex look at the rise and fall of John Gotti. I thought Armand Assante did a terrific job as John Gotti, slick, bombastic, but also nuanced. It's inevitable to compare this to Witness to the Mob. Witness to the Mob was superior from a factual… More
Gotti is a gritty, well acted, and complex look at the rise and fall of John Gotti. I thought Armand Assante did a terrific job as John Gotti, slick, bombastic, but also nuanced. It's inevitable to compare this to Witness to the Mob. Witness to the Mob was superior from a factual standpoint, covering much more ground in its' three hour run time than Gotti. Ultimately I'd have to go with Tom Sizemore over Armand Assante for the most accurate depiction of Gotti, as Sizemore mastered Gotti's flare of arrogance and naiveté to an extent that Armand didn't quite get up to. At the same time, William Forsythe as Sammy the Bull was superior than Sammy's portrayal in Witness to the Mob. His personality as cold, calculating, and ambiguous, surely matches Gravano more closely than the positive spin Witness took on him. Overall, Gotti is better from a filmmaking standpoint, with sharper, more realistic dialogue.
Sarah P

I was bored and couldn't get into this movie. I think it was because it was just like every other mob movie I've seen - there was nothing unique about it.