Mob Town (2019) User Reviews

Don't believe the reviews, both the poor ones and the glowing ones.

[movieswithgreg · 4/10 · 21 June 2020]

This is not bad enough to get only a 4 star. This is nowhere good enough to be a 7 star. This is a 5 or 6 star. Yes, it's low budget, but the cinematography is better than many with this kind of budget. Yes, they "steal" footage from old documentaries, but the imagery and colors from those pop in a nice way. The dialogue is good enough; not stellar, but not hardly too rough or clunky. The acting is good enough. The plot is already known, since it's based on history. To me, the biggest weakness is the over-long personal scenes that don't matter, like the fish-monger scene with tinges of Poor-Man's Tarantino. The love story and the domestic marriage scenes are extraneous too; they let the air out of what little tension this movie otherwise has.

This subject is tailor-made for a 20-30-million dollar project. This small project doesn't come close to exploiting that. Or even better -- a 3-episode limited series. Arquette isn't bad in it; it's hardly the worst perfomance of his career. Just don't go out of your way or pay any fees to watch this. It's not worth money to see.

An old uncle mob story brought to the screen.

[FeedingTubePaul · 5/10 · 29 December 2019]

Nice movie of a story your elder uncle may have told you, brought to the screen. Unnecessary love sub plot (not gonna tell you how it turns out cause honestly, I'm not sure myself.) Goofy side deputy, lacking the antics of Barney Fife and more of a aloof 5th grade science teacher. I'm giving it a five stars because I like uncle stories. I honestly think this movie was only made so someone with an antique car collection could have a movie they were in. I spent most of this movie thinking about how much David Arquette is aging/morphing into James Cromwell. ;)

The acting is not good. The writing isn't either

[boe_h · 4/10 · 24 August 2020]

It's a very mehhhh... movie. Has a made for tv vibe Acting is mehh....Story line is mehh..... I wish I hadn't of started watching it. But once I start a movie I usually finish. It's a waist.

You'll have a better time watching paint dry

[russell13725 · 2/10 · 1 January 2020]

Where to start. Let's start with the bad. This movie's trailer looked to be a pretty good mafia movie.. it wasn't. Half the movie was building up the relationship of the main actor to a widowed wife of a fallen policeman... and really for no absolute reason. It added zero to the actual story. It also was comical to the fact that this police dude was always showing up at the exact moment transactions and dialogue were taking place to lead him to the conclusion that something big was going down... the exact moment, and it happened several times. Also, can someone please explain to me how you can get in your car, leave a hotel, go back to the office, talk with your superior, get back in the car and return to the hotel in about 10 minutes. Please. Lastly, can someone please explain to me how you don't notice a police cruiser sitting and observing in your driveway as you drive back out that same driveway, mind you, as well as 50 mobsters later at the house never observing the police cruisers just over a 10 foot embankment 50 yards from the house the party was being held. So unrealistic. Hell, I could go on but ill spare you. We laughed at so many points in this movie it felt like a mafia spoof type of film. Oh, I promised you the good....... ok,,hmmmmmm,,, well it ended... there ya go.

Great topic, poor execution

[aeongale · 3/10 · 18 December 2019]

There's no drama, tension or action in this. It's goofy without being funny. There's no reason given why a group of mobsters should be arrested. It's explained later on what they charged with but... ugh. Lots of nice cars in this film though.

Amateur

[homerkaro · 3/10 · 18 December 2019]

There are a lot of good mafia movies. This is not one of them. The whole films feels like a school project. Slow story, slow dialogues, experienced actors acts like this is their first time on screen.. 90 minutes wasted..

not terible

[xaranaxious · 7/10 · 14 December 2019]

It usually takes a lot of action for me to keep my interest but for some reason I watched it straight through and definitely enjoyed it. It broadened my sense of the earlier days when the mob was not as noticed. seemed like a good time to thrive and I can see why...no technology. This was light-hearted and almost funny. Danny A. Abeckaser who played Joe Barbara was a natural. His wife played by Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Meadow Soprano) looked great and was great. This was like a PG mob movie. I enjoyed it till the end. Oh and Genovese was really cool to see. I just cant believe how lame the cops were back then. almost comical.

Where was the scouting?

[fabby-17204 · 3/10 · 30 December 2019]

I have a question so if you did so much research, why put the correct dates but in the movie is the middle of the summer?? Come on really?? Ever visited NY in November?? Is practically winter!! Jesus christ at least be accurate.

Not a drama, nor a comedy, nor a thriller. This is simply a portrait of a small town cop who discovers a mafia get together in his small town.

[imseeg · 6/10 · 10 January 2021]

The bad: dont expect a thrilling mafia drama. This is nothing of the kind. This is merely a slowburning and mellow portrait of a simple small town cop (David Arquette) who accidentally discovers that the entire American mob is coming to his small town to have a meeting. Will all hell brake loose? No, nothing happens.That's it. There is no story. Honest.

More bad: there is no suspense, no drama, no action, no thrill, no comedy. It has the look and feel of a television movie, made to please everybody without showing any brutal violence and therefore it is kind a boring.

Not any good? I still watched it till the end, because I like David Arquette as an actor, although this time he aint funny, but he aint impressive as a serious actor either. It is a kind of weird mix of a mellow portrait of the mob.

Well, it did beat staring at the wallpaper...

terrible

[ops-52535 · 2/10 · 13 December 2019]

If your in to learn about the history of the american mafia, this is unfortunately the wrong place to start. its inconsistent already from the start, and the story development feels like walking on starch to avoid drowning., the only positive to say about this flick is the collection of maity fine shining automobiles from the era.

the worst to say about this product must be the dialouges, they bark like john wayne and kirk douglas in their 1950's movies which means both how they say it and what they try to say. the cinematography are either standstill, or far too close up, and the fill in shoots of the environment are stolen from ''america in colours''.,

the grumpy old man felt stained by this doggybag product, i did think saban films knew better than this and its a no recommend from the flufilled north.

'The Room' of Mobster films

[agv-14 · 8/10 · 15 December 2019]

Everything you want in a mobster film with the effort and execution of Tommy Wiseau's epic. Watch it with friends and beers and you'll have a great time.

Slice of Mafia History

[jollyjumpup · 7/10 · 20 January 2023]

If you're looking for a blood-spattered shoot 'em up this probably won't do it for you. There are a couple of action scenes but the movie is less mob drama and more of a tribute to the smart cop who realized his little town was suddenly infested with mafioso and triggered an investigation that ultimately forced J. Edgar Hoover to stop looking the other way when it came to organized crime.

The 1950s period is convincingly captured, including impressive shots of NYC. Vintage car enthusiasts will find a feast for their eyes. I don't have a clue what the budget was but I'd bet the film looks bigger than it cost.

The cast is excellent. Anyone who's ever casually rubbed elbows with real mobsters will recognize these guys. The largely Italian cast brings an authenticity in looks and mannerisms too often lacking in mob movies.

Both David Arquette and Jamie Lyn-Sigler have matured well. They still look good and in their adult years project uniquely interesting personas.

Director Danny Abeckaser was especially convincing as the small time hood charged with hosting the VIP mob bosses, effectively conveying self-assured bossiness when dealing with the locals and giddy nerves when dealing with godfather Genovese.

Laughable

[romedini · 2/10 · 19 August 2020]

Some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Could have been a great movie

I should have listened.

[antique-modern · 3/10 · 2 January 2020]

I should have listened to the low reviews. I was generous with the 3 stars because of the classic cars I was able to see.

The most miserable movie I've ever seen

[aliamajeed-61883 · 1/10 · 23 December 2019]

Recently I've seen many movies but this,oh no Very bad movie

Worst Mob Movie ever seen

[gferrer-styron · 1/10 · 27 June 2020]

I love real life mob movies, but Mob Town truly was a disappointment. Slow stupid definitely not worth watching

Not great, but ...

[toneybrooks2003 · 7/10 · 10 May 2021]

A historically significant story well done overall. Most people familiar with the period will appreciate it. Those who require chase scenes probably won't like it.

50 mafia bosses arrive at a house and not one notices state police car 200 feet away

[willjoegreen · 3/10 · 30 July 2020]

Interesting topic - the big meeting of mafia bosses in New York State back in the 50s. It is just hard not to laugh at how the police surveillance is portrayed.

Great music!

[psjy-98146 · 6/10 · 4 December 2022]

Watch it. Kinda quirky but fun. Not to be taken seriously, like all of David Arquettes movies. It's based on a true story but it isn't meant to be a serious retelling. Just a quirky fun movie. The music is outstanding, and makes the movie. The old cars are awesome too. Ya gotta love that Arquette still goes at a script with his own style, he's always off beat and isn't that why we love him? Times passes quickly watching this film. There are no slow over emphasized scenes as so many movies resort to but are utterly boring. Don't know why it got so many low ratings, maybe people were expecting a serious film. Again, it's not a serious film so don't go into it thinking you'll see something like The Untouchables....forget about it.

Every wiseguy in the country

[nogodnomasters · 5/10 · 22 December 2019]

The film takes place in 1956-1957 in Apalachia, NY. It centers on state trooper Edgar Croswell (David Arquette) and his efforts that lead to the arrest of a large number of mobsters (no convictions). The film was mildly interesting as a historical crime drama but it had little action and a small bite. Robert Davi played Vito Genovese who made the bad call. Go watch "The Irishman" instead.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.

If you are a Mob buff do it, or else forget it

[jimgerran-1 · 8/10 · 22 September 2020]

I'm only saying forget it if you aren't into the mob because it got a 4.4 before my 8.0

Skip the romance w/Jenifer Esposito, & its real good. I liked it. Maybe there wasn't a lot of drama, but it followed the facts, such as names and dates, at least. Not sure on the police end.

Not As Bad As Most Reviews Say

[isantistao · 7/10 · 1 April 2022]

This movie is definately not as bad as most reviews say. When I saw the rating and then started watching the movie I was really surprised at how well done it is. There isn't really anything you can say critically about the writing, directing, cinematography, acting, etc. It's actually a very enjoyable film to watch. The scoring and sound track are really great. There's a lot of really enjoyable scenes to watch with your typical mafia film type of stuff. You get to see some scenes with meadow soprano, I mean, that actress who played her lol. They even did certain things better than many other higher rated mafia films. Like the accuracy of how the hit on albert anastasia went down.

I think the big problem that it has is that some or many of us may have thought that the film was going to be more focused on the mafia, and starring mobsters. In fact almost none of the mobsters who are named in the cast as having people play them really have any role in the film, they are really just extras with maybe one line, but you won't know which bosses are which because there isn't enough dialogue among bosses to identify them. The mafia members are actually not focused on very much, and the main character in the film is actually a police officer investigating the event. So it is a bit disappointing that the mafia doesn't show up more in this film that is supposed to be about the mafia. Also, the event itself isn't in the film for as long as I think we would have all liked, and the film then seems to end very quickly afterwards. So it is a bit anticlimactic. And for these reasons I think some of us were disappointed. It is still well done and enjoyable other than that though.

Arquette is embarrassing

[darbanville · 1/10 · 15 June 2020]

This movie is bad enough on it's own. But arquette with his mugging and goofy delivery makes this film look like a high school film project. I felt I lost 90 minutes of my life watching this

The right time but wrong execution of it

[robertjan-42358 · 1/10 · 26 February 2020]

When seeing this movie I was hoping for a good or interesting movie. The era that this is filmed in, its a beautiful era, you have the beautiful cars and the mafia.

The movie feels choppy, the story doesn't flow. The acting feels off and the whole story feels unrealistic. But I do love the cars and 50's scenery!

Don't waste your time on this movie, there are better ones out there.

Garbage

[larryluongo · 1/10 · 18 July 2020]

Awful dialogue Awful over acting Awful sets No authenticity No plot The whole thing is cheap