Movie Review: "The Family" (2013)

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There is joy in watching the great Robert DeNiro enjoy himself poking fun at his "Goodfellas" gangster persona. The black comedy "The Family" (2013) is directed by French action filmmaker Luc Besson (creator of "Nikita" and the "Taken" trilogy) and despite American actors and filmed in English, the film is a European production. If DeNiro's presence was not inducement enough, the film also boasts Michelle Pfeiffer and Tommy Lee Jones. "The Family" are the Manzoni's: Giovanni (DeNiro), wife Maggie (Pfeiffer) and teenage children Bella (Dianna Agron) and Warren (John D'Leo). Giovanni is a mafia gangster turned snitch thus the mob has a hit out on the entire family. Witness protection is hiding them out in France under the supervision of Agent Stansfield (Jones). The family are a major pain to Stansfield because of their antics and have been relocated again to small Normandy town. There was trouble in their last hideout in the Cote D'Azur where a shopkeeper went missing. That is the body Giovanni buries in his new yard. Much humor is derived from the Manzoni's who are now the Blakes and their anger issues. The French are known for their lackadaisical approach and a plumber's nonchalant attitude enrages Giovanni who graciously takes the man to the hospital after administrating a severe beating. Maggie is more than a pretty face. She understands French and overhearing the locals dissing Americans arouses her wrath. Maggie makes a crude explosive and blows up the shop. The kids attend a French high school where everyone amazingly speaks English. Warren is a shrewd hustler swiftly taking over school rackets. What happens when you steal Belle's pink pencil pouch? The girl is a chip off the old block. Belle delivers a savage beat down. Giovanni discovers a typewriter and decides to write his memoirs. This provides a very funny moment of Giovanni listing the top ten reasons he is a good guy. Just like Letterman does he says. Passing himself off as a writer doing a book on the Normandy landings, Giovanni now called Fred is invited by the local film club to a showing of "Some Came Running." He is all for it because the film stars Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin and drags Stansfield with him. But there is a program switch and it is none other than "Goodfellas"! DeNiro's reaction is priceless. Meanwhile the mob knows the family is in France and scouring the countryside getting closer. Not only is "The Family" a tour-de-farce for Deniro but also for Pfeiffer and Jones. Pfeiffer performs a take off on her Brooklyn mob wife in "Married to the Mob" while Jones does an exasperated take of his "The Fugitive" character. D'Leo and Agron are also outstanding. Besson really did not have to do much beyond letting his stars have fun in doing their thing. "The Family" is not a cinematic masterpiece but quite entertaining.