American Gangster film based on true story that's a 'must watch' if you love the Godfather

Daily Record

11-06-2025

The gangster film, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime, has been hailed as very "underrated" and the "best true crime drama out there".
Biographical crime film Kill the Irishman is a movie based on the life of the Irish-American gangster Danny Greene that has viewers raving. The movie, which is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime and Apple TV, is an on-screen adaptation of Rick Porrello's book To Kill the Irishman: The War That Crippled the Mafia.
The film's official synopsis reads: "Kill the Irishman tells the true story of Danny Greene, a scrappy union representative who rose through the ranks of the Cleveland underworld and became a force to be reckoned with, ultimately engaging in a turf war with the Italian Mafia. Greene's rise to power and his eventual assassination, which is depicted in the film, are the central themes.
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"The film explores Greene's ambition, his clashes with the Mafia, and the impact of his actions on organised crime in Cleveland and beyond." Directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, the star studded cast includes Ray Stevenson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, Linda Cardellini , Tony Darrow and Robert Davi, among others.
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The film, which is also available to watch on Apple TV, has been applauded by gangster movie fanatics, who have branded it a 'must watch' if you are a fan of The Godfather, the Express reports.
One critic stated in an IMDb review: "Great cast, great acting, and an absolute must-see for mafia-philes.
"Unlike many bio-dramas, this one moves along at a rocket pace, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats." Another hailed the film as "very underrated".
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Kill the Irishman received mixed reviews upon its release and was noted for its similarities to Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990).
It was awarded a divisive score of 63% from Rotten Tomatoes critics, who state: "Kill the Irishman may not add much in the way of new ingredients to its crowded genre, but the admirable efforts of a solidly assembled cast add extra depth to a familiar story."
However, other reviewers were quick to jump to its defence as one insisted it it "the best true crime drama out there" and another agreed they "absolutely love this [film].
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Kill the Irishman is not the only gangster film that Amazon viewers are currently raving about as another crime film, that's been described as 'poetic' has recently resurfaced.
Starring two forgotten Hollywood legends, the 1990s American gangster film, Miller's Crossing, created by Joel and Ethan Coen, is considered to be "an all time classic" by viewers.
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The film follows the story of two rival gangs, set during the 1929 Prohibition, as Irish mob boss Leo O'Bannon, portrayed by Albert Finney, sets off a war between the two as he protects his girlfriend's brother, Bernie, who lands himself in trouble with the other group.
Unbeknownst to him, his girlfriend is having an affair with his partner-in-crime, Tom Reagan, played by Gabriel Byrne.
Despite Tom's attempts to feed Bernie to the wolves, Leo trusts in his decision to protect him.
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However, while his Italian gangster enemy Johnny Caspar is growing in power in the background, he needs the help from his right-hand man now more than ever, that is, until he finds out he's been sleeping with his girlfriend.
The title boasts a near 'perfect' rating as one viewer wrote on Rotten Tomatoes:"All-time classic. This has all the hallmarks of a noir.
"The script is very complicated but never convoluted to the point where you can't follow it, which is a testament to the masterful editing. My only real complaint is while the music is good, I wish it was used a bit more, but this really is never dry. Everyone should give this a try once."