Travolta as the notorious Teflon Don...
There’s a lot that’s impressive in “Gotti,” a sort of biopic directed by Kevin Connolly, best known for his role in the HBO series “Entourage.” But the film undermines itself and instead becomes merely a good gangster flick.<br /><br />“Gotti” switches back and forth among three time periods, the early years when John Gotti rises in the ranks of the Gambino crime family, the 1980s when he was undisputed kingpin of the New York crime families, and the years when an imprisoned elderly Gotti is dying of cancer.<br /><br />The best choice was casting John Travolta in the title role. With his classy suits, silver hair, facial prosthetics, and tough talk, he channels the swaggering bravado of Tony Manero from “Saturday Night Fever” and the mannerisms and deportment of attorney Robert Shapiro from “The People vs. O.J. Simpson.” His face is a permanent scowl carved into granite as he plots dark strategies and lashes out at anyone who challenges him.<br /><br />As a crime drama, “Gotti” follows a standard playbook, with violence a-plenty, assassinations, consultations with trusted associates, mob conflict, an influential mentor, a splashy wedding, guys who rat on their comrades, and a fly-on-the-wall look at his home life. If this all sounds familiar, you’ll be reminded of “The Godfather.” There’s nothing wrong with using that classic as a model, but it’s lazy to structure the screenplay so closely on the work of Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola.<br /><br />While “The Godfather” had texture, an assortment of memorable characters, scenes of the home lives of the mobsters, and great performances, “Gotti” coasts on the presence of Travolta. The other main character is Gotti’s son John, Jr. (Spencer Rocco Lofranco), who drops out of military school to follow in his father’s footsteps, starting as a soldier, working up to “made man,” and eventually finding himself backed against the wall by the justice system. We see him visiting his father in prison to divulge that he’s been offered a plea deal if he confesses to his crimes and cooperates with the prosecution. The aged Gotti associates compliance with the authorities as tantamount to cowardice and refusing to cooperate as noble. But John, Jr. wants closure.<br /><br />Like the proverbial four-alarm fire, “Gotti” is compelling viewing but lacks a point-of-view. “Crime doesn’t pay” is pretty simplistic considering the quantity of gangster flicks out there. Offering neither sympathy nor condemnation, director Connolly is content to treat the film as a docudrama, highlighting key aspects of the man’s life, amping up the violence, and letting Travolta bluster and bellow his way through his performance.<br /><br />There are some noteworthy supporting performances. Kelly Preston plays Victoria, Gotti’s loyal mob wife, who must deal with a family tragedy and never fully recovers. Stacey Keach plays mentor and advisor Neil Dellacroce, who confers with Gotti behind closed doors to discuss the future of their crime kingdom. Pruitt Taylor Vince is excellent as Gotti’s longtime friend and partner in crime, Angelo Ruggiero.<br /><br />A few scenes portray Gotti as the caring neighborhood enforcer who’s on a first-name basis with residents, keeps the streets safe from petty crime, and looks over his flock like a shepherd packing lead. Director Connolly incorporates vintage news footage showing residents praising Gotti and railing against law enforcement for arresting and trying him again and again. Lofranco is alternately pugilistic and deferential as the young John, Jr., but little is done, other than give him a pair of glasses, to age him in later years when he has his own troubles with the law. When we see actual news footage of the real John, Jr. — bigger, more muscular, and older — being led out of court, the illusion is shattered.<br /><br />The zig-zagging from time frame to time frame becomes irritating after a while, since it’s not immediately clear in which period we’re set. The technique comes off more as a gimmick. Gotti’s rise and fall certainly contain enough drama to sustain a linear narrative.<br /><br />Many of the film’s visuals are filmed in low light, suggesting the cinematography of Gordon Willis in “The Godfather.”  Each time a new gangster appears, titles flash on screen with his name and affiliation, adding to the picture’s documentary feel. A scene in which a man is tortured in a dark basement is particularly unsettling, as his tormentor calmly asks who put him up to a failed hit. There is a palpable sense of dread as the patient interrogation takes place.<br /><br />&#34;Gotti&#34; is rated R.
The movie title "GOTTI," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.3 from 750 reviewers. 
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 {"Genre": "Documentary", "Format": "NTSC", "Contributor": "Ella Travolta, Randall Emmett, Theresa Cook, Kevin Connolly, Jordan Trovillion, Spencer Lofranco, Lydia Hull, Kelly Preston, Leo Rossi, Stacy Keach, Pruitt Vince, Michael Froch, Highland Film Group, William DeMeo, Luis Da Silva Jr., George Furla, Marc Fiore, John TravoltaElla Travolta, Randall Emmett, Theresa Cook, Kevin Connolly, Jordan Trovillion, Spencer Lofranco, Lydia Hull, Kelly Preston, Leo Rossi, Stacy Keach, Pruitt Vince, Michael Froch, Highland Film Group, William DeMeo, Luis Da Silva Jr., George Furla, Marc Fiore, John Travolta  See more", "Language": "English", "Runtime": "1 hour and 44 minutes", "Is Discontinued By Manufacturer": "No", "MPAA rating": "R (Restricted)", "Product Dimensions": "0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 2.56 Ounces", "Audio Description": "English", "Director": "Kevin Connolly", "Media Format": "NTSC", "Run time": "1 hour and 44 minutes", "Release date": "September 25, 2018", "Actors": "Kelly Preston, John Travolta, Stacy Keach, Leo Rossi, Pruitt Vince", "Subtitles": "Spanish", "Producers": "Randall Emmett, George Furla, Michael Froch, Marc Fiore", "Studio": "Lionsgate Home Entertainment", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : The film will reveal the relationship of a father who lived and died by the mob code and a son who, while brought up to lead a life of crime, chose to leave that world behind and redeem himself and the Gotti name. Never before has there been such an inside look at the Gotti family and their world of danger, betrayal and redemption. John Gotti was head of the Gambino crime family, which in its time was the largest and most powerful crime organization in the country. Known as the 'Dapper Don,' John Gotti's flamboyant style and outspoken personality made him one of the most famous mobsters of the 20th century and he ruled the underworld until he died from cancer in 2002 while serving a life sentence. In 1988, at the age of 24, Gotti Jr. became a 'made man,' and was officially inducted into the Mafia, making him the heir-apparent to head the Gambino crime family and follow in his father's footsteps. But in 1999, Gotti Jr. paid a now-famous last visit to his imprisoned and dying father..