Matteo Garrone's "Gomorrah" is an exposé of the vast webs of Camorra mob crime troubling Naples and Caserta. Chronicling five divergent yet interconnected stories, the film illustrates the Camorra's broad influence over classes and generations.
Don Ciro is a meek man of miniscule stature within the mob, acting as a middleman for the Camorra by distributing funds to the families of imprisoned mob members. Tot?, a timid 13-year-old grocery delivery boy, is accidentally roped into the Camorra when he witnesses some of the gang's drug dealers discard their drugs and weapons. When he returns the goods, the gang welcomes him as one of their own. Robert is a recent university graduate who becomes the apprentice of Franco, a tycoon in the toxic waste management business who illegally dumps chemicals in desolate communities. Pasquale is a haute couture tailor who takes a job training Chinese garment workers. As he is competing with fashion firms owned by the Camorra, he must arrive and depart from work in the trunk of an employee's car or otherwise risk assassination. Marco and Ciro are amateur criminals who fancy themselves sage gangsters who mimic the savage ways of the Camorra by holding up drug dealers and arcades and sneaking into strip bars to flaunt their stolen money. Their safety is jeopardized when they steal guns from the Camorra, sending them on the run in anxiety-ridden terror.
Although each of the aforementioned facets of this sprawling mob epic displays unique and disturbing extents of the Camorra's power, it is this fragmented structure that suffocates the characters. The most fascinating stories are those authored by Tot?, Marco and Ciro as they illustrate how easily Naples and Caserta youth are taught to idolize the Camorra and aspire to join the ranks. These stories of youth desperately seeking a way into the mob are perfect contrasts to the older men, who are all desperately seeking ways out.
"Gomorrah" is a truly admirable mob movie because it refuses to glorify or stylize its violence. Devoid of any remote glamour, the film's graphic violence is bleak and remorseless and as close a portrayal of true and utter human evil one could imagine. Garrone employs several aesthetic techniques, including consistently long tracking shots and dizzying, out-of-focus cinematography, which render the film a profoundly exhausting experience. As exhausting as it might be, it is also asuccessful one. Although the scatter-brained narrative often prevents viewers from empathizing with all of the film's characters, "Gomorrah" skillfully demonstrates the multitude of manners in which the Camorra has tightened its death grip on Naples and Caserta. Many segments of the film are undeniably entertaining, namely when coked out Marco and Ciro playfully dance around an abandoned café; yet more than anything, the film feels like a journalistic call to action.
Garrone's passion for social justice and cinematic ambition are both palpable and, by and large, he pulls "Gomorrah" off with grace and swirling energy. Yet had he refined his ensemble cast, the film would have been able to match its emotional pulse with its staggering social commentary.
You can reach this staff writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
