Mobsters (1991)

0% of critics liked it
(20 reviews)
52% of users liked it
(9,817 ratings)

In this fictionalized account based on true figures, a foursome of young thugs decides to team up and take control of New York's east side from the aging bosses who control it. Bugsy Siegel (Richard Grieco) and Frank Costello (Costas Mandylor) control the physical elements of the operation, while… More In this fictionalized account based on true figures, a foursome of young thugs decides to team up and take control of New York's east side from the aging bosses who control it. Bugsy Siegel (Richard Grieco) and Frank Costello (Costas Mandylor) control the physical elements of the operation, while Lucky Luciano (Christian Slater) and Meyer Lansky (Patrick Dempsey) bring up the business end. ~ John Bush, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 44 min.
Directed By: Michael Karbelnikoff
Written By: Nicholas Kazan
Genres: Drama, Action & Adventure, Mystery & Suspense

In Theaters: Jul 26, 1991 Wide
On DVD: Sep 30, 2003
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
High concept, sleek stylishness, low content.
Variety Staff, Variety
The seemingly can't-miss premise of teen-heartthrob gangsters gets lost in self-important direction, a shoddy script and muddled storytelling.
Caryn James, New York Times
For all its machine-gun hits, Mobsters seems to have run out of energy soon after casting.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
The problem is in the script, which is so complicated and violent that the credibility of the entire enterprise is undermined.
Hal Hinson, Washington Post
The whole movie seems to be about hair, slicked-back hair, hair so meticulously coifed and lacquered that bullets would bounce off of it. Your first thought is that the budget for mousse must have climbed into the zillions.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
There isn't a moment when you simply sit back and share in an actor's joy at revealing himself through his role.
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com
It feels like a history lesson from a particularly inept substitute teacher, hitting only a few highlights before it returns to a flat read of gangster specifics.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
One of the most fogettable theatrical releases of 1991.
Stephen Garrett, Time Out
A noisy, silly, rather immature film.
, Film4
It's just silly, sick and shallow.
Kevin Fiddler, Henderson Home News (Henderson, NV)
Cool guys mob flick
Clint Morris, Moviehole
It was either this or watch paint dry
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com
It's like Young Guns with mobsters ... only stupider.
Kathleen Maher, Austin Chronicle
Slater has already proven he doesn't have to make good movies to be popular, and this one is slightly better than his usual mediocre fare.
Chris Hicks, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
None of these boys looks particularly grown up in their trench coats and fedoras and they shouldn't be playing with guns.

Read all 15 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Conner R

Maybe I saw a different movie than most because I really like Mobsters. It's basically a Young Guns type movie with a gangster setting. I guess if you only take it straight forward and don't consider the context of when and why this was made it will make no sense. Christian… More
Maybe I saw a different movie than most because I really like Mobsters. It's basically a Young Guns type movie with a gangster setting. I guess if you only take it straight forward and don't consider the context of when and why this was made it will make no sense. Christian Slater is at his prime here and does what he does best. I can't really tell you what that is, it's just a type of atmosphere he sets that I haven't quite been able to commit to words. While him and the rest of the cast do overly slimy Italian accents and the characters are almost cartoonish in nature, that's sort've the charm with these 90s period pieces. Then you've got an almost comical take on violence because it's so overdone and every death consists of twenty bullets plastering each victims face. This is not something like The Godfather or Goodfellas, it's basically just a slightly goofy yet fun movie that showcases young hollywood stars and pits them back in the bootlegging era. While some may certainly lose their mind over this idea and call it "hollywood trash", I certainly found a lot to like in this movie.
Tim S

Huge piece of shit. I was wondering when the two Coreys were going to show up.
xGary X

One of the worst examples of Hollywood's glossy reinvention of historical events, this brat pack version of The Godfather is quite unpleasant in the way it presents violence and crime as glib fashion accessories. Worth watching only for Michael Gambon, Anthony Quinn and F. Murray… More
One of the worst examples of Hollywood's glossy reinvention of historical events, this brat pack version of The Godfather is quite unpleasant in the way it presents violence and crime as glib fashion accessories. Worth watching only for Michael Gambon, Anthony Quinn and F. Murray Abraham who routinely act the young cast off the screen.
Chosen 7

It's an ok film. For most of the movie I thought Christian Slater's performance [among others] was lacking, I just didn't buy him playing an italian gangster. Entertaining film though.

Cast

            Christian Slater as Charlie "Lucky" Luciano

            Patrick Dempsey as Meyer Lansky

            Richard Grieco as Benny "Bugsy" Siegel

            Costas Mandylor as Frank Costello

            F Murray Abraham as Arnold Rothstein

            Lara Flynn Boyle as Mara Motes

            Anthony Quinn as Don Masseria

            Michael Gambon as Don Feranzano

            Chris Penn as Tommy Reina

            Nicholas Sadler as Mad Dog Coll

            Bill Bastiani as Short Stick

            Leslie Bega as Anna Lansky

            Anna Berger as Mrs. Greene

            Theresa Berquist as Dancer

            Stan Berry as Card Player

            Sean Blackman as Another Italian

            Lada Boder as Dancer

            Kerry Brennan as Dancer

            Don Brockett as Irish Politician

            Clark Heathcliffe Brolly as Mike Shane

            Seymour Cassel as Father Bonotto

            John Chappoulis as Joe Bonnano

            Alan Charof as Rabbi

            Frank Collison as Sonny Catania

            Janice Cronkhite as Dancer

            Russell Curry as Black Gangster

            Erik Degn as Goon

            Nick Dimitri as Bodyguard

            Rodney Eastman as Joey

            Ava Fabian as Cute Girl

            Russ Fega as Nathan Citron

            Fyvush Finkel as Tailor

            Linda Fontanette as Maid

            Richard Garneau as Room Service Waiter

            Willie Garson as Telephone Operator

            Jennifer Gatti as Secretary

            Caroline Gillette as Little Sister

            Elizabeth Graham as Cute Girl

            Suzie Hardy as Dancer

            Melissa Hurley as Dancer

            Bryan Law as Irish Thug

            Sharmagne Leland-St. John as Wedding Guest

            Anya Longwell as Showgirl

            Monique Noel Lovelace as Showgirl

            Shannon Maloney as Dancer

            Ron Marquette as Maitre d'

            James Michael as Tony No Nose

            Emile Nicolaou as Kid

            Anto Nolan as Irish Cop

            Trish Pamish as Dancer

            Rachel Parker as Dancer

            Miles Perlich as Crapshooter

            Steve Picerni as Luciano's Driver

            Steve Restivo as Little Brother

            Andy Romano as Antonio Luciano

            J.P. Romano as Goon

            Karen Russell as Showgirl

            Jeremy Schoenberg as Crapshooter

            Jan Solomita as Wedding Guest

            Trish Steele as Costello'sMother

            Traci Swensen as Joey's Mother

            Leonard Termo as Joe Palermo

            Carmen Twillie as Blues Singer

            Anna Villa as Dancer

            Joe Viterelli as Joe Profaci

            Lynette Walden as Cute Debutante

            Titus Welliver as Al Capone

            Jim Wilkey as Coll's Driver

            Robert Z'Dar as Rocco

            Bianca Rossini as Rosalie Luciano

            Charlie Picerni as Bodyguard
See full cast