Witness the making of Tony Soprano. The story that reveals the humanity behind Tony’s struggles and the influence his family – especially his uncle, Dickie Moltisanti – had over him becoming the most iconic mob boss of all time. – IMDb
The Many Saints of Newark (2022)
Starring
Alessandro Nivola, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Ray Liotta, Michael Gandolfini
Directed by
Alan Taylor
Box Office:
$13,058,293 Gross Worldwide
Review
When the television show The Sopranos first aired, I was 9 years old. Needless to say, I was not allowed to watch it. Now that I’m in my thirties, I wanted to watch it from beginning to end. I must say, I had good timing! Unbeknownst to me at the time, The Many Saints of Newark had recently been released. Now that I have finished watching both the show and the film, I can finally offer my thoughts.
The Sopranos TV Show
Before I begin to discuss the film, I must say how much I loved watching the show. Of course, I can completely understand why I wasn’t allowed to watch it when it was originally on television. I wouldn’t want my Son to watch it at a young age either! It is definitely for a mature audience. And by “mature”, I don’t mean only mature in age. I believe to fully appreciate the show and the lessons in it, you need to be mature in every sense of the word.
However, if you can watch it responsibly, I highly recommend that you do. I know many people who didn’t watch the show purely due to its content and violent nature. If you are sensitive to such things, yes- absolutely stay clear of this show. If not, do not wait any longer to watch it. It’s touching in so many ways. I laughed to the point of crying quite a few times. On the other side of things, some scenes are so touching, and sometimes so relatable, that I cried uncontrollably.
One thing that I want to make a point of commending the show for, is for Tony going to therapy. On top of that, it wasn’t a smooth transition for Tony to attend his therapy sessions. I mean, really- a “made” guy seeing a therapist? Does that sound like your usual mob story? It is such a smart idea, and the fact that it helps to destigmatize therapy and seeking help, makes it deserving of recognition for this reason alone.
It was a show that I wished would never end.
As we watched it, and the number of episodes left to watch started to dwindle, I didn’t want to watch it anymore. This is only because it meant that we were always one episode closer to it being over for good. I wasn’t ready for it to end.
Before we pressed “Play” on the final episode, I took a deep breath in. I don’t believe that I exhaled until I was crying my eyes out during the final scene. It’s simply an amazing show. Once we were done doing the marathon of the tv show, it was finally time to watch the movie. I was happy because it felt like our Soprano journey wasn’t over.
Thoughts on The Many Saints of Newark
Of course, since it’s a movie based on Tony’s younger years, we were still able to stay in the “Tony Soprano” mindset. At the very least, you go into it hoping that they remain faithful to the memory of the Tony we knew. While this is done in some ways, I think it’s best to go into it with an open mind. Besides, can any of us say that the adults we are today, are exact copies of our younger selves? People change over time! Plus, if you go in with low expectations, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how good of a job they really did.
As with any movie, global events and the issues of the times are important to the plot. And, just like in the show, familial relationships, agreements, and feuds all have their place in the storyline.
You almost forget that you’re watching a Soprano-related movie. It’s hard to explain. Maybe it’s due to the different cast members, but there is a certain level of disconnect that makes you need to remind yourself of who each character is. With all of the drama that is involved with each character when they’re older, seeing how they act at different times in their lives is interesting.
Overall
If you were a fan of The Sopranos, I would definitely recommend watching The Many Saints of Newark. Will you love it as much as the show? Well, it’s definitely hard to even think of watching it without Gandolfini being included. But, knowing that his Son plays the role of young Tony provides a sense of comfort. It’s easy to watch, and it passes far too quickly. Did I love it as much as the show? Absolutely not. But, I also think that’s the beauty of it. Everyone knew nothing would be able to compare to the show. Not letting that stop them, and making a film that Gandolfini would approve of, a film that his own Son stars in… it’s the perfect way to honor him.
If you’ve never watched The Sopranos, you could watch the film, but I don’t recommend it. Watch the show first! You’ll be far more invested in the storyline and its characters. I think the film was well done, and you stay captivated by the story. Whether this is due to simply being a fan of The Sopranos, or due to it being a great film, is debatable.
Personally, if I watched The Many Saints of Newark without watching The Sopranos first, I don’t think I would care for it.
You need the history of emotions you’ve attached to the characters. It’s almost like when you watch home videos. You care about them, and they’re entertaining, but that’s because they’re about your family/friends. Of course, you enjoy watching videos of your loved ones, but would mass audiences be entertained? Probably not. You need a deeper connection to it. Being a fan of The Sopranos acts as that deeper connection for The Many Saints of Newark.
While The Many Saints of Newark tugged at my heart strings a couple of times, I don’t feel the need to watch it more than once. Basically, “It is what is is.” I’m not disappointed by it, and I’m glad that I watched it. It felt like a nice continutation of The Sopranos. I would compare it to saying hello to a long lost friend, while also giving you the chance to say a proper goodbye. I didn’t expect to have to go back in time for this to be true, but somehow, they made it work!
Have you seen it? What did you think? Please let me know! If you have other films you’d like to recommend, please leave me a comment below. I’m always open to recommendations. As always, thank you for reading!
Related:
Enough Said (2014) Movie Review
