It's pretty extraordinary that an actor portrays a character which he has already portrayed once in another film. You don't see that very often at all.

Isn't that Frank Vincent's gig?

EDIT: Just found out he wasn't being sarcastic.

yeah frank vincent does that but he does a great fuckin job of it. i remember in the movie cop land he was the police chief or something. but he was true gangster even in that character. he's made a career of doing that. and its worked. good for him!

LOL Al Pacino portraying Delacroce? Haha, Delacroce was pretty tall, Al Pacino is like 5 feet nothing! Oh well, i guess they can fool us with movie effects.

It isn't Pacino which worries me about this film. Pacino can nail any role he wants.

instead of travolta how about harvey keitel being gotti, and lindsay lohan was playing a role which is kind of stupid to have her in this stay with disney.

Damn straight Sonny. Well put.


A few other guys have stated that Lohan may actually be able to pull it off, since her more serious work in things like RFK biopic Bobby. Still...I also believe its sounding dubious. In any case, seeing her titties in Machete was pretty sweet. Another gratuitous nude scene or two in this film way well make it worth the price of admission

Thinking more about it though, despite some well known flops and misfires, when he pulls it off Travolta can be alright. And having recently rewatched "Alpha Dog", I have to say Im actually pretty keen to see how Ben Foster is going to try and portray Gotti the younger.

In all likelihood, shitty reviews or not, Ill be seeing it. Like most of us, I think.

For some odd reason I'm starting to hope they hire Stallone to play Gigante.

I read somewhere this week that Lohan was out all together. Some crap about her mother getting into an argument with Marc Fiore (the producer).

"Fiore announced he had signed her to a two-picture deal, though she's apparently not in the movie." From the Castellano casting

Mind you, this is the only recent thing I've heard about this.

I disagree, Pacino is washed up. I don't think he has what it takes anymore honestly...same with de niro.

This is potentially a great film with the topic full of action and drama, however I worry its going to be pretty awful. With Gotti Jr involved he might make Gotti Sr be some sort of Robin Hood man of honour, who was a hero in NY. Also Travolta might be pretty cheesy as Gotti. I hope I'm wrong though!

I always hated the idea of this film. Not because it is a bad idea but because of the people involved. Its a little tough to take a mob film series when lindsay lohan is considered lol. But what i hate is that the gotti family is heavily involved which is gonna make this a very fictionalized bio. I've heard from victoria what a great dad he was. But on the otherhand there is evidence that he beat his son and wife for visiting angelo ruggiero when he was sick. Also he called his family morons more than once lol. I'd rather them do a bio on nicky scarfo

I kind of agree. But to create drama rather than have a movie about a cut and dried murderer which would be boring since it's been done so much before, they probably need some fiction.

So get this. The missus like big, balls out action movies right? As such, she pretty much creams for anything with Jason "I only ever play tough guys, hitmen or a courier of some kind" Statham.
At the video store the other night, her eyes fall on "The Mechanic" and she snaps it up.
HER: "Im getting this. No, shut up, Im getting this"
ME: "Okay, whatever. But if you're getting a stupid movie, then Im getting out Jackass 3"

Anyway, once we get home and started watching it (her movie first, as per usual , a bit into it, I realise its got Donald Sutherland in it (I think that Keifer spawning bastard is a way better actor then his son) and perk up a little. Shortly later, I realise Ben Foster is in it.

Now this movie (The Mechanic) is really no great art or anything, but I must say I didn't mind Fosters performance as a bungling, wannabe hitman. (There's more to it than that, but thats the jist. Statham's the pro, Fosters the apprentice, andn taken under his [Stathams] wing, he tries his best which just aint good enough)

My point is that Im more and more inclined to give Foster a chance. Sure he looks nothing like Gotti Jr, but remember its more about approximating a non-fictional character's mannerisms and personality than looking exactlty like him. Look at James Franco in the Allen Ginsberg biopic "Howl", Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon" or Pacino in the upcoming Phil Spector one. There's way more examples of actors pulling off parts in biopics despite looking and being nothing like their subjects in real life.

I think people doing "casting calls" for biopics often stumble in assigning whichever actor looks most physically like the subject to the role, as if that guarantees it'll be pulled off.

Blasphemy! Pacino at his worst is better than 90% of modern actors at their best!

pacino is anything but washed up!

Pacino can't be washed up. He's god. Even Chuck Norris can't beat him.

Clint Eastwood's production of "J. Edgar" (in cinema's Nov 9) with Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role is another example. When you hear "Hoover" DiCaprio is not exactly the first guy you'd think of.

But he's another guy that I never used to like back in the day, but then he just picks up so many good scripts and has a few good turns and you know what? I dont mind Leo DeCrapio so much at all these days. If he's good enough for Scorsese, well he's good enough for me, dagnabbit.

What Im saying is Im gonna give Foster a chance to have a go. He either will or will not pull it off.

Chuck Norris could beat up the one tonne crocodile in the Philippines. And Al Pacino could beat up Chuck Norris.

Travolta: Bless me, mamma Gotti
By BRUCE GOLDING and KEVIN FASICK
September 23, 2011

John Travolta channeled his inner goombah yesterday when he flew from Hollywood to Howard Beach to kiss the ring of John Gotti’s widow.

The sit-down was called to get Victoria Gotti’s “blessing” for her son’s planned biopic, which is scheduled to start shooting in January, a production source told The Post.

The pilgrimage brought Travolta to the Queens home where the late crime boss he’ll be portraying lived while ruthlessly running the Gambino crime family.

The “Pulp Fiction” star arrived bearing tribute -- a gold gift bag -- for his meeting with the mob matriarch and other key players involved in the movie.

He was greeted with handshakes and hugs from John “Junior” Gotti and several other men who were outside when he showed up at 4:30 p.m.

The group then disappeared inside Victoria’s white clapboard home for more than two hours.

The star summit must have gone well. At one point, two kids ran to a neighbor’s house to get more ice.

Travolta emerged from his first face-to-face meeting with the domineering Gambino queen, whose notorious hubby died in prison in 2002, shortly before 7 p.m.

Travolta showed he has a better sense of omerta than most of today’s wiseguys do -- he wouldn’t say nuttin’ when asked if Mamma Gotti gave him her OK.

All the star would give up was that he was at the home doing “research for the movie.”

He and his movie “son” Junior then took off together in a black Grand Cherokee Laredo. A source said they were headed to Long Island to have dinner with Junior’s sister, former reality-TV star Victoria Gotti.

Producer Marc Fiore was also at the confab.

“Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father,” which is being directed by Oscar winner Barry Levinson, is set to start shooting in New York City in January.

Travolta’s wife, Kelly Preston, is set to play the elder Victoria, and “X-Men” actor Ben Foster will play Junior.

The cast also includes “Godfather” star Al Pacino as Gambino family underboss Aniello “Neil” Dellacroce; Lindsay Lohan as Junior’s wife, Kim; and Chazz Palminteri as the late mob boss Paul Castellano, whose infamous 1985 rub-out in front of Sparks Steak House was believed orchestrated by the elder Gotti and paved the way for his takeover of the Gambino crime family.

Junior arrived early at his mom’s house yesterday and was joined there by defense lawyer Charles Carnesi, who brought a box of Italian pastries.

Carnesi -- who helped Junior win three of four racketeering mistrials by arguing the mob scion quit the Mafia in 1999 -- is being considered to play himself, a source said.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/travo...N#ixzz1Ynf4LC5u

I don't know about anyone else, but I'm getting really tired of watching Travolta kiss up to the Gottis. It's embarrassing. Of course I'm going to see the film, for Pacino and Palminteri. But you have to admit, the idea of a sexually confused, culturally Irish Scientologist playing John Gotti must have the man spinning in his grave.

But somehow I'm starting to get the feeling this is going to be a decent mob film. Travolta could definitely "look" like Gotti, but he has to do something with his voice though.

Yeah, they have a great director in Levinson, and Pacino will hit it out of the park for sure. Like I said, I'm going to see it. But I just don't expect Travolta to nail it the way that Armand Assante did.

The producer of "Gotti: In the Shadow of My Father" has lashed out at Joe Pesci, claiming he's a has-been who is desperately seeking attention by trying to force himself into the movie.
[...]
Fiore claims it never had a deal with Joe ... there were discussions but no commitment. Fiore says sadly, "[Pesci] desperately wants to be part of this film project."

http://www.tmz.com/2011/09/22/joe-pesci-...o/#.Tn-NA9SdHIU

I'm mostly surprised they're saying this regarding someone besides Lilo.

I hope for the best, but I just do not see it in him.

This might sound a little crazy, but I think Madonna would be good at playing Victoria Gotti.

I agree but I think De Niro would be the better choice between the two.

I would have to agree with you on that one. When is the movie set to come out on the screen.

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