Black Souls (Anime Nere)

THE GIST: Three brothers from humble origins have led different lives in the shadow of the ndrangheta, the powerful Italian mafia organization. Assassinations, fealty to family and the mafia, love, affection, respect, revenge, and resentment all intermingle, with a constant background of palpable tension and fear.

Black Souls is a drama about the people whose lives are touched, in a variety of ways, by crime. Some survive, others succumb.

The cast is excellent through and through.

THE BOTTOM LINE: This is no Martin Scorsese crime film, with great cinematic sweeps and operatic productions. It is gritty and raw, and a constant feeling of suspense will keep you on edge, always wondering what will happen next.

Grade: 7