Review: ‘The Family’ brings the laughs while on the run from the mob

Posted on September 20, 2013

With Scorsese as executive producer, and directed and co-written by action film guru Luc Besson (“The Professional,” “The Fifth Element”), “The Family” follows former wiseguy Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro, “Silver Linings Playbook”) and his family as they move into their latest identities as the Blake family in rural France. The story is told mostly through Giovanni’s eyes as he narrates the movie while writing his memoirs, although the rest of the family members get their due as well.

The movie is a dark comedy, with lots of laughs coming from events we honestly shouldn’t be laughing at, like when Giovanni nearly beats the plumber to death. There is also Besson’s usual action, although not as much as I was expecting. It should be noted that while there are laughs, and good ones, this is a comedy that gets serious at times, especially in the final act.

The film is rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality.

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