Lansky is a biographical crime movie based on the life on Meyer Lansky. Lansky was known as
“the Mob’s accountant” and together with Lucky Luciano created the National Crime Syndicate.
It was said Lansky owned parts of every casino in the US, Cuba and the Bahamas. Lansky was
the founder of Murder, Inc which was a combination of the Italian/Jewish hit squads.
Our movie begins in Miami in 1981, where Lansky has contacted a down on his luck writer,
David Stone (played by Sam Worthington) to write his life story. The catch is David cannot
publish the book until after Lansky’s death, but with his recent diagnosis of lung cancer the wait
won’t be too long. Lansky also won’t allow David to use a tape recorder, everything said is off
the record unless Lansky deems it is not. He also makes David aware that he knows all about
his ex-wife, children, his money issues and warns there will be consequences if David doesn’t
abide by his rules. David nonetheless agrees, he knows the book is destined to be a best seller.
Lansky wants the book to clear the misperceptions of himself, he is becoming a bit
philosophical now that he sees the end coming.
Harvey Keitel, as Mayer Lansky is perfect casting, but he’s had a lot of practice playing this type
of character, he has made a career out of either playing criminals or cops, Taxi Driver, Thelma
and Louise, Pulp Fiction, Irishman and Bugsy to name a few.
However, Sam Worthington, as David Stone leaves a lot to be desired, but I don’t think it’s all
Worthington’s fault. There are scenes at the deli, where Lansky is telling David stories and
David is just there, like a piece of furniture. Not in an absorbing what is being said because he
can’t record anything way, but almost like I’d rather be somewhere else kind of look. Why
write the character like that?
The movie is told thru flashbacks beginning in 1918 and leads us thru Lansky’s humble
beginnings with working a dice game on the streets of NYC. At this early age Lansky realized all
gambling was based on mathematical equations and he was a math genius. In Lansky’s attempt
to whitewash himself, he regales David with stories of the US Navy coming to him in 1942 to
help weed out German spies planted as dock workers who planned to plant bombs at the
waterfront and attack the country. He goes on to tell David how he turned Cuba into an
international playground, and personally financially supported Israel and Gold Meir and let
them know “if you need any weapons or ammunition, let me know”
These flashback scenes are necessary to tell Lanksy’s story, but they just aren’t as compelling as
Keitel’s portrayal of Lansky. John Magaro, who plays Lansky’s younger self in flashbacks, just
doesn’t have the mob boss flair of Keitel.
No mob movie can be made without an FBI component, and Lansky does not break that rule.
From the beginning, we know the FBI is going to work David, to give up what he knows about
Lansky, and the rumored $300 million that he has stashed.
So, here’s my issue, the FBI knows David is the weak leak. The perfect in to get the information
they need to get Lansky. David has money issues, ex-wife issues, needs a hit book issues. So
here comes Maureen the pool girl which you, me and a blind Stevie Wonder could see what her
role was in the FBI’s plan
Lansky is a smart guy he has evaded prison and the FBI for decades he knows David will be a
target of the FBI to get information of him. Lansky, plays David against the FBI, dropping a hint
to David that he knows will go straight to the feds and send them on a wild goose chase. But
David realizes how dangerous Lansky still is when there is collateral damage in Geneva and a
loose thread to the story is taken care of.
I am a fan of all the “Godfather” movies, and Lansky is “Godfather Lite” with Harvey Keitel’s
performance saving it from the $2 DVD sale bin at Dollar General. Ok, maybe that’s just a tad
harsh, but this is worth the $1.80 rental at Redbox especially if you have a coupon code.
As for a beverage, take your pick, either an Italian Red or Manischewitz wine.
