The Many Saints of Newark reviewed by Mark Kermode

Alana Taylor and David Chase’s The Sopranos prequel contains enough mobster action for those unfamiliar with the six season world of Tony Soprano. The set pieces are solid, the performances are good and the tensions between Leslie Odom Jr’s character Harold, and Alessandro Nivola’s character Dickie Moltisanti serve as an interesting plot.
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[@glensettle]

Mark's just mad because he never had the makings of a varsity athlete.

[@maryconnor6173]

🤣🤣🤣

[@65g4]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 brilliant

[@dani.892]

i get that mark is a movie critic not a television one but the sopranos is as cinematic as it can gets truly a masterpiece

[@Lacking_something]

Sopranos, chernobyl, breaking bad, 6 feet under ... blur the lines between TV and movies.

[@gridlo]

Hello?? Exactly!

[@20thCenturyPox]

I'm jealous of Kermode because he has yet to have the pleasure of watching The Sopranos for the first time. What a show.

[@65g4]

He binged Breaking Bad and loved it. I suggest he does the same with The Sopranos

[@Blunder03]

@@65g4 Although they're both great shows, BB is a plot driven show while The Sopranos is a character driven show (similar to Mad Men). They're very different shows imo.

[@damianharkin9487]

As immaculate as everything about the show was, the writing, the music etc, what elevated it to level of greatness was Jim Gandolfini. A critic once said of him something along the lines of “ there was genius in his eyes “ and by God that was true. He could communicate so much without saying a word. A true actor’s actor and a terrible loss.

[@no-oneman.4140]

Beautifully said. I'm serious when I say it was his eyes and the way he breathed.

[@MrZenby]

I always thought that James Gandolfini looked like he was on the verge of hysterical laughter in the film In the Loop.

[@BigDome1]

Best acting performance of all time I'd say. People like Daniel Day-Lewis and Philip Seymour Hoffman have amazing range and variety but I don't think anybody ever quite created anything as three dimensional, convincing and entertaining as Tony Soprano. "Powerhouse" is an understatement. He set a bar that will almost definitely never be matched.

[@FEWGEE1]

The Sopranos was cast perfectly. Every single role.

[@Lite727]

@@FEWGEE1 baffles me that the whopping majority were a bunch of amateurs. That’s impressive good god.

[@FRODIII]

Quasimodo predicted all this!

[@oskarklang8616]

You never pondered that?

[@oskarklang8616]

Lol

[@Adam_K14]

i think that was the prince of iran

[@irishkcguy]

One of the things I liked about The Sopranos was they were gangsters that were aware of Scorses's filmography and the depiction of the Mafia in popular culture.

[@anneseijbel1376]

Sals seriously bad impersonation of Michael Corllioni (sp) 'Every time I think I'm out, they pull me back in again', which had the entire gang roaring their approval, was repeated several times throughout the series. It was so bad, yet they thought it was so good, which made it the more hilarious each time he did it. Great stuff.

[@jbr_uk]

'Louis Brassi sleeps with the fishes.' 'Luca Brassi, Luca'

[@nozislam]

@@Memoquin "Moe Green special"

[@w1ldcard1986]

@@anneseijbel1376 sals????

[@anneseijbel1376]

@@w1ldcard1986 is that not his name 'Sal', the character that runs the Badabing? I have the box set, but it's been a couple of years since I last watched it, I try to ration it to get the best out of it when I do. Tony, Pussy, Christopher, Paulli and I thought Sal or Sall, am I wrong. Memory is a funny thing. I've watched the entire series through about three or four times, even thinking about the Michael Corllioni quote, thinking on it, I think he only done it two or three times at the begining showing that certain camaraderie and genuine friendship around the group/mob, before Tonys decline into paranoia, darkness and eventual psychopathy. I think it's time to dust it off and give it another outing, but if I'm wrong I'd be interested to be put right. Probably a big slap too the forehead if I'm wrong!

[@nectarinedreams7208]

"Scorsese Cinematic Universe" is not a phrase that should be uttered by anyone ever

[@darkcornersuk]

Scorsese would be turning in his grave, if he were dead

[@yaboydolphin]

@@Nathan-gd7xq lol

[@simonwright6163]

How on earth has Mark Kermode not watched The Sopranos?!

[@user-zb8ss9xb1b]

I can't take him seriously as a critic now.

[@ejkk9513]

@@user-zb8ss9xb1b He's a FILM critic not a television critic. He only started watching modern t.v shows fairly recently.

[@user-zb8ss9xb1b]

@@ejkk9513 fair enough

[@cannibalholocaust3015]

@@jamescastle9953 film buff here, only got round to Sopranos last year and only due to lockdown. Cant stand Tv series usually but a friend was insistent. Worth all the hype.

[@lucasm3879]

@@ejkk9513 He watches media for a living though. Think of all the duff films he's knowingly watched in the last 20 years instead.

[@edmann1820]

Oof I'm a massive fan of the soprano's. This film was rough to watch. It's the writing and possibly the editing. The soprano's was always realistic, fantastical but always grounded in reality. This, with all it's knowing nods and winks almost to the camera is close to fourth wall breaking. A lot of it feels like it ended up on the cutting room floor. The narrative doesn't smoothly transition from scene to scene. We don't spend too long with any one character, apart from Dickie. It would have been better if they had just tried to tell one compact story instead of trying to cover all bases and not really covering any of them. I finally understand how star wars fans feel.

[@-diogenesthecynic-]

Yeah I struggled to sit through it as well, I found it incredibly boring and all over the place

[@slappyabromowitz]

The Sopranos was a masterpiece , incredible depth and amazing acting. I found Many Saints unwatchable.

[@briandevitt6903]

I love Marks reviews but how can he not have seen the series? The best show ever imo.

[@joegolden5488]

He is constantly watching movies. He's discussed this a few times and during lockdown was the first time he'd sat to watch TV shows. It always seems odd that he's not into TV in the 'golden' generation of TV. But when your job is to watch films all the time it's a bit jarring to go home and watch more stuff

[@QuillonPottinger]

Affectation. A sort of deliberately preposterous statement akin to ‘not a big fan of the Beatles’.

[@philipsheppard4815]

@@QuillonPottinger personally I prefer The Monkees.

[@ianrobinson4200]

He's a movie guy, so probably because it robs him time of watching more movies. In the time it takes to watch the tv series, he could see 30 or so movies instead...

[@gregoryberrycone]

@@QuillonPottinger not liking the beatles isn't preposterous at all, they aren't that great

[@gabagoolovahere5869]

This guy is one lucky man to have never seen the sopranos. Get the box set and watch it slowly. Because once you watch it all you feel empty

[@BigDome1]

No way just watch it again

[@quirkypurple]

@@BigDome1 Yeah it actually gets better with repeat viewings and more is to be unlocked and discovered.

[@BigDome1]

@@quirkypurple absolutely, on my 4th viewing now and it's probs my favourite viewing so far

[@quirkypurple]

@@BigDome1 Same!

[@jwebb4750]

I know mark has been watching more TV shows over lockdown. Surely the sopranos should have been at the top of his list.

[@frankmerker630]

I mean isn’t it only on HBO Max, which isn’t available in the UK? He would need to have the physical media to play it, so that’s one obstacle

[@jwebb4750]

@@frankmerker630 yeah that could be a problem indeed. But he did watch the wire which is another HBO show, so yeah

[@steve24822]

@@frankmerker630 no, it's available on sky in the uk, he has no excuse.

[@frankmerker630]

Yeah he has no excuse to not have devoted 80 hours of his time to watch the entire series. Despicable

[@matthewarchibald2164]

@@steve24822 I mean it's not a rule that he has to see The Sopranos... like what is this, homework? why does he need an excuse man get a grip 🤣

[@KungaMatata]

You need to watch The Sopranos, Mark! If you like Breaking Bad you'll be hooked!

[@no-oneman.4140]

I've only recently watched The Sopranos. Never thought anything could beat Breaking Bad but boy was I wrong. So good that I watched it all over again and got even more out of it. What a loss James Gandolfini is.

[@TheRamblingRamReviews]

I really feel that The Sopranos stands head and shoulders above "Breaking Bad." I've never quite understood the fervor around Breaking Bad. It's better than average but that's about it.

[@foxykaykay]

Without Sopranos, Breaking Bad wouldn't exist.

[@JamesJuice321]

Breaking bad has nothing on Sopranos!

[@w1ldcard1986]

@@TheRamblingRamReviews Don’t be so silly with that comment mate Don’t get me wrong, I’d lean towards the sopranos but breaking bad is a classic and some people may even say it’s better But for me sopranos is the best tv show I’ve ever seen and without it you wouldn’t have got breaking bad

[@suntanlo-shun1809]

The secret mark was told not to spill is that young Tony did in fact have the makings of a varsity athlete.

[@oce1989]

It's hard for me to get my head around the fact Mark has watched Breaking Bad, but not The Sopranos. The likes of Vince Gilligan and Bryan Cranston are on records saying without The Sopranos you wouldn't have characters like Walter White. A real shame as I had hoped Mark would have more to offer here.

[@moonlitebrite9317]

True, but I also think that Breaking Bad draws a lot of influence from the work of the Coen brothers. I think there is an argument to be made that Gilligan was influenced more by No Country For Old Men than The Sopranos.

[@quirkypurple]

I think when Mark finally watches The Sopranos - like many people and including myself, they will have a revelation. it's not this gangster show popularized because we just like seeing gangsters doing gangsters things. This is a show with a deeply rich story that's superbly planned out. There are hints in early seasons at the end. There is a clever use of symbolism and subtext used in ways that are found usually only in arthouse cinema that is embedded in the fabric of the show. Dream sequences inspired by David Lynch etc No to mention that there are just some suberbly comedic moments in a show that also deals with very dark themes - familial issues, mental health and psychology. It's just great drama. Tony Soprano is the perfect psychological character study. He's even more interesting than Travis Bickle and we have much more of him. I think Kermode will have a revelation. why didn't I give this a chance before? And if I overlooked this for so many years, what else have I missed? I'm sure The Wire but that's a whole other essay. Watching The Sopranos and then going back to 90min films is like listening to albums like Dark Side of The Moon or some concept album by Kraftwerk like Radioactivity - listening to an album constructed in long-form with rich themes and concepts to then going to listening to singles. Yeah, singles are great. Short, catchy, enjoyable. But what if you want to go on a journey? What if you want to develop characters over a longer period?

[@toneriggz]

I don’t see how anyone can enjoy this film without having seen the show.

[@davidsummer8631]

Hey T...Did you hear what the critic said ? He said the film was fine

[@NiKOliDANBURSKi]

Michael Gandolfini played his dad exceptionally well. Some of the plot was somewhat confusing but I'll watch it again. Big fan of the series, seen it all through twice 😊 Happy with this film and hope it leads onto more 👌

[@aidangroome6958]

Greatest tv show ever without question but Saints of Newark was poor. Apart from warming nostalgia and the giddy feeling because you're well aware of the foreshawing it's really not a good film. The acting is ok, the jersey accents are non-existent, the decision to double cast Ray Liotta was terrible, the slick dialogue which the sopranos master so subtly was clunky and only sometimes smirkable. In the end there wasn't really much point in making this film, felt more like a spoof of the sopranos than a serious attempt at cinema.

[@localmo88]

Shouldn't have been reviewed by someone who hasn't seen the Sopranos.

[@_SPREZZATURA_McGEE_]

Absolutely agree. It's not like he didn't have time to watch the series. Ridiculous.

[@totallybored5526]

So a film reviewer shouldn’t review a film?

[@_SPREZZATURA_McGEE_]

@@totallybored5526 *YAWN*

[@totallybored5526]

@@_SPREZZATURA_McGEE_ that didn’t answer my question. How’s you’re neck beard growing?

[@_SPREZZATURA_McGEE_]

@@totallybored5526 Y A A A A W N !! It's *your, you boring Trumpanzee. Go away.. just ShooO!

[@RecliningFurniture]

It's good. But you do need to have seen The Sopranos to get the most out of it. Go and watch The Sopranos, right through, right now, Mark. (You know you should have done that ages ago, for goodness' sake!)

[@italsounds001]

I watched this tonight and I am a sopranos fan, so many nods to the series, if you are not familiar with the story, characters and locations it’s not worth watching, if you are, it’s a nice bit of sopranos nostalgia, I thought the casting really captured the younger versions of the characters well, but some scenes would only make sense if you know the context.

[@leelewis8402]

Omg you haven't seen sopranos?? Get on it mark the best 83 hours of TV you will ever witness

[@leelewis8402]

@@squareinsquare2078 respect I'm same with sopranos gotta be on my 8th or 9th rewatch whenever there's nothing on thats my go 2 show lol

[@leelewis8402]

@@squareinsquare2078 defo I'm still finding new things on the 8th or 9th watch lol

[@richardreddin695]

Kermode hasn’t seen the sopranos? Shameful.

[@1LeeMan1]

Yes, very surprised he hasn't seen The Sopranos too. As a film/media critic, I would definitely advise that he watch it... I'd be curious to see what he thinks of it over 10 years after it last aired.

[@thomascarmichael6659]

He hasn't seen it because for most of his life he's made a conscious decision to watch absolutely no television. He just decided at some point that there just isn't enough time in a lifetime to watch as many films as a man like him would want to and watch television as well. He only broke that rule during lockdown to my understanding.

[@kz.irudimen]

I don't know why you'd be surprised, he almost never talks about TV and he's not a tv critic.

[@1LeeMan1]

@@kz.irudimen that's fair. I hope he does he see it

[@kz.irudimen]

@@1LeeMan1 Definitely a great show but it's quite long, I know I have a hard time with TV now because of this. I always start a show and then after a few episodes I'm thinking instead of watching 20 hours of the same show I could go watch 5 movies instead or something :(

[@kz.irudimen]

@@Theocracy8 I'm guessing he only watched Twin Peaks at the time because it was David Lynch :)

[@davidandrews8631]

30 seconds in and Mark says he hasn't seen The Sopranos?! Really?

[@BigDome1]

"I haven't seen The Sopranos" - literally stopped watching right here. Not because it makes his opinion of the film invalid. Just not gonna watch a film critic who hasn't seen The Sopranos. Yeah it's not a film, but it's absolutely top of the list essential viewing for anyone with an interest in fiction. Sort it out ASAP Kermode, that's ridiculous.

[@barsam2a]

you're absolutely right

[@789FredBe]

seriously tho !!

[@Gianfranco_69]

Yeah...especially as modern Cinema is pretty much dead on its feet... boxsets and small run projects are the only decent thing to happen in the last 20yrs

[@quirkypurple]

Well said.

[@joeodonnell5125]

Toss up between 'the sopranos' & 'twin peaks' as favorite shows but the trailer looked like 'a Bronx tale' type story directed by Scorsese.

[@sdg172]

The Sopranos is a bit like a Chris Nolan film, multiple views required!

[@user-zb8ss9xb1b]

That is if the dialogues in Nolan's movies were good.

[@SiongZu]

Dark Comedy + Mafia + Philosophical series. One of a kind.

[@philipsheppard4815]

I've never seen The Sopranos or a Nolan film more than once.

[@quirkypurple]

@@user-zb8ss9xb1b Nolan's characters are about as deep as Katy a Perry thought.

[@davidfoxall3344]

I’m a Sopranos fan and Mark is absolutely spot on, it’s not a film that has a great deal to offer those who haven’t seen the series and I think the comparison to something like El Camino is apt. It’s something I didn’t expect to be a cinematic release, something I thought would be streamed instead (and I think in fact in the US it will be streamed on HBO)

[@DaveBoofhead1972]

I love your reviews, Mark, but I'm afraid that unless you've seen the Sopranos (and I can barely believe you haven't!), then your review is pretty pointless. This film IS a cinematic appendage, so to speak, so to discuss it without seeing the main body of work it references... well, why bother?

[@mistaj8655]

As someone who hasn’t seen the show, this was my favourite so far this year. Can’t wait to watch the show!

[@wesleyhalfpenny3873]

You haven't seen The Sopranos!? Ffs, ive seen exorcist 3, you could make the effort man, ridiculous.

[@nickparton5663]

I really hope Mark isn't put off checking out Better Call Saul, because unlike El Camino, that series absolutely stands on its own, and is a fantastic piece of work in its own right

[@nickneek]

Haven’t seen this movie yet but the trailers make it look terrible. The Sopranos tv show is incredibly rich and the best thing about it is that it is NOT a Scorsese gangster style thing. It’s about depression and consumerism -it’s also laugh out loud funny. Maybe the trailers are misleading (happens sometimes) but they make it look like it’s all about whacking people and looking cool. I wish the lord would take me now.

[@skaro85]

It is terrible. Don't waste your time.

[@iwillheadlockyournan731]

Jesus Christ, why hasn't he seen The Sopranos

[@Smithylfc9999]

I know right 😂

[@steve24822]

Almost beyond belief.

[@pondelf166]

Also the fact that he keeps banging on about how you need to have seen the Sopranos in order to enjoy a prequel to the show that is set 30 years before the show takes place is just absurd. If you haven’t seen the Show then I’m sure this film will be a great entry point as once again Mark it takes place BEFORE the events of the show.

[@Zeppelin180]

He doesn’t watch TV

[@pondelf166]

@@Zeppelin180 That wasn’t my point. My point was that you don’t have to have seen a TV series to enjoy a film that is set 30 years before the series takes place. Mark keeps saying that in order to really appreciate this film to have to have a good knowledge of the characters. I argue that you could watch Rogue 1 before ever seeing a Star Wars film.

[@Crouchy232323]

Mark "I've never eaten chocolate" Kermode

[@mcfcaguerooo5697]

A visual arts critic who’s never seen the greatest drama of all time. Says a lot about him

[@darkcornersuk]

I found the film extremely meh, and I'm a huge sopranos fan.

[@filipdobrilovic3830]

who kill dickie?

[@darkcornersuk]

@@filipdobrilovic3830 watch the film and you will see.

[@Onmysheet]

I was expecting more backstory of certain characters like Pussy, Carmela & Paulie.

[@fortuna1514]

@@filipdobrilovic3830 junior no joke

[@fortuna1514]

@@Onmysheet ik carmela was in 1 scene, pussy's dad was alright, paulie was ok

[@TheIrishGamerGuy]

Mark needs to do a follow up video after he watches the series or even a piece giving his thoughts on the series would be brilliant 😁

[@ShortAndFormal]

The best part about the Sopranos is that it's about men who love each other.

[@wetigaz]

very true!

[@no-oneman.4140]

But they didn't, that was the point. Everything they said was lie after lie after lie. It was all a big nothing. Watch the interviews that Chase has given.

[@SquintyEyedBoab]

No-one Man. Pretty sure OP was joking…

[@no-oneman.4140]

Not so sure.

[@ShortAndFormal]

I haven't finished season 2 lmao

[@pmpiano5346]

Unbelievable that you have not watched the Sopranos.

[@ultra7021]

Once Mark starts the show he won't shut up about it guaranteed

[@lancegoodthrust546]

Mark, as an American who has accidentally ran into you're reviews I've respected your work. Having said that I'm shocked you've never watched The Sopranos. I haven't watched the movie and from the other reviews I've seen I never will. It's not even worth the chance to ruin my experience. But I envy you for watching the series for the first time WHEN YOU do.

[@andrehb]

smart choice -- I have HBO Max so was excited to see it until I checked the IMDB credits, I kind of knew the score going in and although I tried twice, I couldn't make it past the 10 minute mark.

[@MikeHarrisHazchem77]

You need to watch The Sopranos right away..cancel everything and binge watch it all.

[@12CylonModels]

He’s never see The Sopranos? WTF?!

[@babykenzo111]

I’m disappointed the mark hasn’t watched the sopranos being a critic of his stature Constantly watching films isn’t a excuse if you find the time watch twin peak and breaking bad he should of squeezed in the sopranos.

[@GeorgeZimmermen]

I’m out in the first 10 seconds. Guy has never seen the sopranos so I can’t take it seriously

[@FEWGEE1]

The fact that he's never seen The Sopranos makes him totally unqualified to review this movie imo, and that shows. He just babbled on about a whole lot of nothing for 6 minutes.

[@bmbm1]

Genuinely surprised that Mark hasn't seen Soprano's

[@plawl05a]

Of course it required you to know the series, Mark! WTF are you talking about??

[@TheRausing1]

Absolutely agree with this review. As a sopranos fan I loved it, but couldn’t really see how you would enjoy it if you weren’t one. Vera as Livia was the best part of the movie by far for me.

[@Paul91-]

She was pretty well cast. I loved it when she said one of Livia's most famous lines, "Oh poor you!!!!!!"

[@BubblegumCrash332]

If you have never seen the Sapranos then half of this script means nothing.

[@Barra32]

How can i listen to a review about a film based on a series which the reviewer has never seen

[@Tom-rg2ex]

"It's fine" is the most positive thing Mark has ever said about a movie made from an HBO show.

[@yorkshirepuddingnosauce5933]

Why would you criticise the movie without watching the show mate? Why would tell people your opinion when you wouldn’t get the smallest details? Can you please tell me your logic?

[@gridlo]

"I always wondered how Fire Walk With Me would work if you hadn't seen the series." I hadn't and it doesn't.

[@roffew.1065]

I thought it was a dissapointment and I loved the original series

[@scruffyp9480]

I'm not sure if I want to see this. It just doesn't feel like it needed to be made. I hope I'm wrong.

[@cmjones83]

I enjoyed it fine but my main takeaway was that if I hadn't seen the series, I don't think I'd have been very impressed. It felt a bit lightweight and a lot of the stuff I liked was the nods and winks to the series. Which will go over everyone else's heads.

[@bigdaddychacha]

Mark, stop whatever you’re doing and go back and watch The Sopranos. I’m incredibly mixed on this movie; it’s doing a lot of things right and quite a few of them wrong, and if it was all you had to go on to recommend the series, I could understand your reticence, but just go back and watch the series, anyway. It’s a masterpiece.

[@Glenuig]

I cant take you seriously as a critic if you have not watched The Sporanos or The Wire

[@its_rick_james_bich2575]

As a sopranos fan..I was hoping and originally thought this was going to be series, as opposed to a film. But looking forward to watching it. Has been in the cinemas for week over here in UK

[@dst_20]

each to their own but i find it very strange that someone with a obvious love for Cinematography wouldnt have at least stumbled upon the sopranos at some point over the past 20 years just to see what all the fuss was about. It is constantly touted as the greatest television series ever yet Mark has totally overlooked it. strange

[@bigsmoke9876]

I thought the film was around 75% perfect. I felt irked by the casting of Livia, Jonny & Junior Soprano - the three actors are known faces in Hollywood and don't resemble the actors used in the Sopranos well at all & I just hate it when the actor is more prominent than character. I also felt like Tony's character was written to be too soft and sensitive with all the sad gushing over his uncle's ignorance like some cringey childhood first love. To me that just isn't Tony what so ever. I know there's rumours of a sequel which may show how Tony does go on to become such a bad person & so disconnected with his emotions but it's unrealistic to not see those traits from very young & psychological

[@swagzilla3000]

Im deeply disturbed by the fact that the dude on the far left in the thumbnail looks like joe pesci and Tom Holland at the same time

[@vomgrady]

I've only seen a few episodes of the Sopranos so I could only guess at some of the references but I really enjoyed (...?) the world and it it's characters. Fire Walk Withe Me was also my thought too. I could spend more time in this environment although it seems like a wonderful slog to even start it (like anything worthwhile).

[@thoughtfox12]

>kermode has never seen the sopranos

[@Gianfranco_69]

Its good... buuutt... the Black Character seems a little ..how shall i put this?.. klunky?.. plus ,the film is about Dicky Moltisanti..??? Anthony soprano is on screen for maybe 20mins tops,still a good watch for a Sopranos freak,many references and scene from the Canon

[@zerotoomega]

How can Kermode be a critic and not have watched Sopranos.

[@henkjarnosla1991]

He was probably busy watching films. That’s what film critics generally do.

[@jimmydbags1070]

Should of been an 18 rated film. They tried to appeal to a wider audience, which ultimately meant they had to water down the violence, language etc. which are two ingredients that made the tv series so great. Ray liotta was a huge miscast also.

[@grownmantravels]

Watched TMSON last night….it’s 10 years too late, they’ve tried to include too many other plots (the riots) boring and unnecessary. The stupid huge reveal at the opening scene grave stone wasn’t a good idea, as my wife wants to watch the sopranos and now knows the outcome of a lead character. The film never actually gets going and jumps from 1 scene to another. Also there were some poorly edited cuts (the ocean scene). I’m a huge sopranos fan and consider the show to be joint top with THE WIRE, but the many saints is simply boring and flat. 5/10

[@bruh_oly1370]

I haven’t seen it yet -but I’m feeling already what your describing . All this political stuff at the time that features in it is covered in godfather of Harlem ; riots, political and racial overtones and malcomx . They should if left it alone and kept it like A Bronx tale and a few nods to racial tension .

[@drewten]

I personally liked the ocean scene, the constant cut of the waves added to the chaos

[@anneforte8897]

I can't imagine anyone enjoying this film without seeing the series. How on earth did you miss the biggest and best tv phenomenon of the century??

[@DanceMonkeychg]

The viewer who wrote in did a better job of actually reviewing the movie than Mark did. He spent most of this clip just talking about accessibility for people who haven't seen the show (which is an issue for spin-offs like this, obviously, but it dominates almost the entire run time of the video) but not really getting into the qualities of the film as it's own thing in any substantial way, which is kind of what the audience looks for from a review like this. Unless he honestly feels that this one issue completely renders any of the film's other qualities (good or bad) unimportant, which I kind of doubt.

[@davidjames9014]

You cannot possibly afford any kind of unbiased, feasible, realistic, informative opinion/review on this without watching the series. How on earth has someone like Mark Kermode never seen The Soprano's? Even if you favour film, surely you should have an understanding/awareness of the all time greats of the small screen? I admire Mark Kermode enormously, but disappointed that this and other reviews may be given without knowledge/understanding of the greatest, episodic, televisual events in relatively recent times...

[@ahmeddebeiky5877]

Ok Fellas So I haven't seen the show, nor the movie Would it be a good idea to watch the movie then the show?

[@joescott5322]

Loved sopranos very disappointed with many saints

[@darkcornersuk]

Same

[@darkcornersuk]

@@Theocracy8 just go back and watch the show, the film is a poorly made parody at best, im honestly surprised chase had anything to do with this as it seems like a fan film.

[@joescott5322]

@@Theocracy8 if you have a low expectations you might think it’s good there are good things and enjoying parts I just expected brilliance.

[@joescott5322]

@@darkcornersuk the Eastereggs for the fans ruined it….. the subtle Easter eggs like the dog worked, but Silvio was an awful paradoy. Vera farmiga and m. Gandolfini pulled it off and developed the character.

[@darkcornersuk]

@@joescott5322 I agree v. Formega and m. Gandalfeni really pulled it off I even liked the guys who played junior and pussy although pussy got almost nothing to do, for me the biggest disappointment was in the portarayal of Pauly and silveo which just felt like parodys of the original characters

[@stephen_mccafferty]

How do you grow up to be someone who criticizes the creative work of others and not have seen The Soprano's

[@JaydenDonnelly550]

The uncle in jail doesn’t exist that’s all I’m going to say

[@raymondaudelo9716]

I thought it was ok. I wanted a little more and was slightly disappointed.

[@jackwaters8092]

OK...I've lost the plot/stopped in me tracks. What about The Wire.....SURELY? Can any one enlighten. Jackie London Thankyou

[@MorrisB3]

The Many Saints Of Newark is NOT Sopranos or Godfather nor should it be. Lol at reviews holding it to those standards. I enjoyed it for departing from the show. Good acting. Good soundtrack. Michael Gandolfini did his dad justice. Solid for me. Theme gets me EVERY time. 😭😂😂

[@nifralo2752]

Dose it cut to black at the end?

[@carljcreighton]

Ok, but have you seen The Sopranos?

[@skaro85]

Just got back from seeing it. What a complete mess. Boring, pointless, dull characters and woke agenda. If you love the TV show avoid this at all costs.

[@henkjarnosla1991]

Calm down people. A guy who rately watches tv shows hasn’t seen a tv show. It’s really not a big deal.

[@christyrrell771]

What an absolute trifle of a review…

[@ajporter4774]

“I haven’t seen The Sopranos”….😕

[@lizardywizard]

Uncle Joey says eat your Starz of death

[@posner89]

How have you not seen the Sopranos Mark!?

[@adsads4000]

It's good to be in something from the ground floor......I'm getting the feeling that I came in at the end

[@tylerblair318]

I think the biggest problem with Many Saints is that it feels so incredibly disjointed. I cannot emphasize this enough, this is maybe the worst editing I've seen in a movie in probably a decade. There are so many times you look at the background or foreground and one minute something is happening and in the span of 5 seconds the entire room has teleported and people are in completely different spots. There is a firefight in the beginning of the final act where a certain character just disappears. The staging doesn't allow for a character to simply get to point a to b but then a character disappears so that they can. I felt like it was trying to say a bunch of things that it never even really commented on and the dialogue just speaks at you so many times and doesn't let you come to your own conclusion. The Sopranos is a television show about anxiety. Not once did I feel anxious or interested in what was happening. Vera Farmiga's porn level acting and Ray Liotta clearly not giving a fuck aside, the only people who seemed to care about their performances or anything in the entire film was the love interest, the main character, Joey Diaz, and the actors who player Tony (there's more than one, not just James' son). I think the only real good I can learn from this is that Michael Gandolfini's ceiling as an actor is really really high. I thought he was doing so many interesting things and I can't wait to see him in the new Ari Aster film. 1.5/5.

[@joshuajarod1909]

We have The Sopranos on the television, then there's this pygmy thing over in the theaters.

[@robsawalker]

Mark Kermode hasn't seen the greatest TV series ever?! I am astonished

[@dawnviolet9720]

*Spoiler alert* David Chase has come out recently and explained that Tony Soprano doesn't die at the end of The sopranos series, so I think it would be very surprising if he wasn't setting the sopranos up for a cinematic universe!

[@edmann1820]

I had to check that for myself. I think you got the wrong end of the stick there. "When you said there was an end point, you don't mean Tony at Holsten's [the diner] you just meant, 'I think I have two more years' worth of stories left in me," Sepinwall asked, according to the New York Post and USA Today. "Yes, I think I had that death scene around two years before the end... But we didn't do that," Chase answered, revealing that Tony was in fact killed. You realize, of course, that you just referred to that as a death scene," Sopranos Sessions co-author Matt Zoller Seitz quipped back. Realizing his mistake, Chase said "F--- you guys."

[@dawnviolet9720]

@@edmann1820 David Chase has only after signing a 5 year deal with warnermedia I think it's pretty safe to assume more sopranos content is on the way!!

[@2728Alexis]

I was disappointed. The mafia life and Tony's life were bit parts, which was not unexpected because it's about Moltisanti. But the character of Dickie isn't actually very interesting. It's soundly acted, but it was almost as if you transported a character from Mad Men and made a movie about him and his mistress. The story wouldn't have been much different if he wasn't in the mafia at all.

[@petew5399]

Mark hasn't really seen The Simpsons either. Move on

[@malcolmharris5277]

The review lacks bite because it *is* essentially a prequel. It has been marketed as such from the outset, so woe betide anyone who approaches it as a stand-alone event, as Mark has. As a fan, I can't wait to see it. No matter what.

[@louiep777]

I’ve seen the sopranos series. Was not a fan of the movie. Just seemed like it was trying to cram a lot into 2 hours and it just felt dull and lacked a lot of the charm/humour of the Sopranos.