Any movie that begins with “I am not a good man” is a clue that this story may not be so family-friendly. With the sound of a dripping faucet in a dark-lit space, we meet Vincent Damiano, played by Kevin Interdonato, The Bastard Sons director and co-writer, who played Dogsy on The Sopranos. It is a well-suited setting and lays the foundation for Vincent and his gangster life as he sets out to seek revenge for the hit that took place on his father and his plan to become head of his family, separating his crew from what exists.
A down-and-dirty crime thriller with a bit of mystery, The Bastard Sons holds nothing back. It’s brutal and brash, all business, and hits hard. Vincent’s family is his “brothers.” A group of battled-ready misfits all raised together with relentless loyalty and no fear. In an all too familiar plot of revenge-seeking, The Bastard Sons is not complicated yet has some good personality for a modern-day small-town gangster thriller crime story with two rules: an eye for an eye and take what’s yours. It’s that simple.
“…about to embark on change that will shake up all the gangster crews.”
The passing of Vincent’s father is acknowledged by all with respect, but business is down, so the pressure on Vincent to get back to work is on and serious. Yet, Vincent has his plan and is about to embark on change that will shake up all the gangster crews. The one and main objective he seeks is to take out Rome, his partner, in a plot he has been scheming, which goes down in a bloody, violent, and head-banging war. Vincent’s crew, loyal to the death, does not quite know all the outcomes but sticks to Vincent’s plan even when shocked by a twist in the story that no one sees coming along with some heinous injuries.
There’s a Sopranos feel to The Bastard Sons, which is not surprising considering Kevin Interdonato’s connection. It’s primarily set in New Jersey but even more lower end of mafia life than The Sopranos, but nonetheless, it holds one’s attention for the unthinkable. Well-acted, good camera work and excellent locations allow The Bastard Sons to stand on its own, including Vincent’s mafia girlfriend Olivia, who plays an interesting part in Vincent’s revenge.
Emotions are kept tight, and at times, there’s a lag between scenes; however, there is no holding back on the fighting, gun-slinging, and gruesome aftermaths that allow this family to continue with product and cash. Some tasteless and nasty men sprinkled throughout contribute to the film’s mafia tone and, along with a dead and bleak winter atmosphere, give The Bastard Sons even more grit. The film’s interesting end leads one to believe there’s more to the story, which is wholly a mafia theme and perhaps plays into more to come, which is believable and possible.
