THE STORY – In the early 1970s, the Calabrian ’Ndrangheta’s influence is rising and spreading from the South to the North. Antonio Zagari is the son of Giacomo, a Calabrian boss who has settled in Lombardy. After killing over and over again, he realizes he’s not suited to that life: to him, killing has become unbearable to the point that now blood repulses him. His body rebels before his conscience does, but in this way, he puts both the people he loves and his own life in danger. While his peers are protesting in factories, universities and squares, he develops a refusal for those who exercise power and for his father’s ferocity. He must find the courage to go against him and to plot a revenge worse than death.
THE CAST – Gabriel Montesi, Vinicio Marchioni, Selene Caramazza, Andrea Fuorto, Thomas Trabacchi, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio & Rocco Papaleo
THE TEAM – Daniele Vicari (Director/Writer) & Andrea Cedrola (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 129 Minutes
Ah, the gangster picture. Going all the way back to “Scarface” (not the Al Pacino one, the Paul Muni one), and possibly even before that, it’s been a mainstay of film. And their quality is almost as consistent as their quantity. The world of organized crime is an inherently interesting one, with the dichotomy of its strange rules and customs held up in service of nefarious ends feeling like a symbolic representation of the competitive world of our economically fueled civilization. The world of trade, markets, investments, and business deals is just as ruthless as that of organized crime; it just pretends not to be as violent, choosing instead to slowly crush those who don’t work within its system rather than putting them out of their misery as a gangster might. “Tired of Killing: Autobiography of an Assassin” is yet another mob film, this one coming from director Daniele Vicari and based on the actual life story of former hit man Antonio Zagari. The film depicts Zagari’s life in the outside-the-law family business before he makes a change and pivots away from a life of crime. Unfortunately, thanks to an uneven script, abysmal pacing, and unremarkable filmmaking, this biopic is a painful watch, and not because of the unfeeling violence shown on-screen.
In early 1970s Calabria, Antonio (Gabriel Montesi) lives in close proximity to his family, including his younger brother Enzo (Andrea Fuorto) and crime boss father Giacomo (Vinicio Marchioni). In almost expectant fashion, Antonio becomes an assassin for his father and his business interests, but after carrying out some kills, he discovers that this bloody line of work isn’t for him. In fact, his body seems to have a physical revulsion to the very act of murder (could that be, wonder of wonders, a conscience?) After spending some time in prison, he begins to reassess his life and starts to take steps to remove himself from his father’s evil influence, even if that means he may have to take drastic action against him.
Montesi makes for a captivating lead, managing to find a through line of charm and sympathy in a very uneven and uninteresting script. Even after he’s shown carrying out hits, thanks to Montesi’s seemingly genuine spirit, it’s easy to root for him and want him to better his life, even if he’s not a person who would warrant such sympathy in real life. Montesi is on-screen for nearly every minute of the mercilessly lengthy film, and he remains magnetic throughout. But the film’s greatest performance comes from Andrea Fuorto as Enzo, Antonio’s little brother, who, at the start of the film, is eager to get into the family business. Here, he’s excited and energized, like a kid hoping to get picked for a school sports team. But after Antonio returns from prison, Enzo has changed. His appearance has become more severe, his practices unstable, and his personality has completely deflated. Fuorto plays both sides of Enzo fantastically, bringing to life his two extremes in a manner that calls to mind Jekyll and Hyde. It’s an effectively shocking performance.
Speaking of shocking, the most impactful moment in the film actually has nothing to do with murder. No guns are even present. Instead, it occurs at a baptism, which is disrupted by a disturbing mob ritual that’s darkly fascinating while being totally upsetting. It’s a scene helped by the specificity in the writing, which must be drawing from real-life testimony. The situation is too bizarre not to be based in reality.
But otherwise, the film is monotonous and tedious, stretching the proceedings out in this overlong film with pointless side quests of unclear importance. Films of this nature should feel energizing, regardless of their length (this doesn’t even approach the runtime of “The Godfather,” and yet, it’s impossible to turn away from that film even for a second). But “Tired of Killing: Autobiography of an Assassin” feels like it’s wearing concrete shoes, as it plods from one event to the next with the energy of a grandpa shuffling around the kitchen as he cooks his secret spaghetti sauce recipe.
The filmmaking on display is uninspiring, sharing the begrudgingly dutiful feeling of the screenplay. It’s edited in a way that doesn’t propel the events of the film along, instead making it feel endless. If one element can be praised, it’s definitely the costumes by Francesca and Roberta Vecchi. They effectively transport viewers to the 1970s, and smartly, characters are shown repeating costume pieces, especially outerwear, which gives the film a sense of reality.
By the time “Tired of Killing: Autobiography of an Assassin” comes to a close, the dominant feeling it evokes is relief. Unfortunately, it isn’t relief that Antonio has put an end to the cycle of violence perpetrated by his father, but simply relief that the film is over. It’s as unexciting a film about the world of organized crime can be, accidentally proving that stories of this subgenre don’t always make for compelling movies.
