About The Family (HBO)

"The Family" is a darkly comical and engaging action thriller released by HBO in 2013. After snitching on the mob, a Mafia boss, Fred Blake, played by Robert De Niro, and his family, Michele Pfeiffer as his wife and Dianna Agron and John D'Leo as their kids, go into the Witness Protection Program and are moved to France. Despite their best efforts to lead a quiet life, their old habits prove hard to shake off, making them a magnet for trouble and attracting the attention of their vengeful former associates.

Making / Production

The movie is directed by Luc Besson and produced by Relativity Media, Besson's Europacorp, and TF1 Films Production. A noticeable combination of action, comedy and crime genres, the movie offers a balanced depiction of family drama in the backdrop of their mafia involvements. The film's screenplay is a work of adaptation from Tonino Benacquista's novel "Malavita".

Actors

• Robert De Niro brings life to the character of the Mafia boss, Fred Blake. There are several moments in the film where De Niro's performance delivers both humor and tension.
• Michele Pfeiffer wonderfully plays the role of the mob boss's wife and mother of their children. She successfully portrays the complexities of a woman trying to protect her family.
• Dianna Agron and John D'Leo as the kids, perfectly capture the spirit of their complex characters, living in the mafia family disguised as normal citizens.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film is based on the novel Malavita, which in Italian means "The Underworld".
• Tommy Lee Jones plays an FBI agent for the 4th time in his career in this movie.
• The American/French co-production was mainly filmed in Normandy, France.

Awards

The film, while certainly entertaining, didn't sweep the award season. However, it still deserves much credit for its stylistic approach and commendable performances by its star-studded cast.

Quotes

• "There's no perfect crime. You can always trace it." - Fred Blake
• "This place smells of dead people!" - Warren Blake
• "Nobody touches my family!" - Maggie Blake

Music and Soundtrack

• The film's music was penned by popular French composer Alexandre Desplat.
• "Clint Eastwood" by Gorillaz and "Gangsta" by The Tune-Yards are two notable tracks featured in the movie.
• With a perfect blend of both American and French songs, the soundtrack wonderfully complements the cultural blend in the plot.