User reviews

This is quite simply one of the best pieces of television ever from any country, its rates alongside older classics like I Claudius and Poldark and more recent classics like The Wire and The Shield

The casting in this is absolutely spot on for each and every character.

The way the story unfolds is script writing at its best with a number of stand out Oscar worthy performances.

The interplay between the characters within and outside the gang of criminals is a joy to watch.

The series can be both violent ,ruthless and quite simply beautifully poignant also. All in all a true masterpiece.

I cannot recommend this enough;]

This series although in Italian is highly watchable because of excellent cast and cinematography combined with the authenticity of the recreation of the time and the story lines build upon the previous episode. Also the way each character inter bonds with each other and that they are shown as both criminals who are portrayed as both evil and human. If you don't mind subtitles then this is a must see. If you liked programmes like Underbelly this is ten times better and will be right up your street. From the police commissioner and his sidekick trying to capture the gang at every opportunity to there interaction with the other criminals and how they go about achieving their goals is both well written and believable. There is not a bad actor in this series and the unfortunate thing is that I am watching this on Sky Arts(no disrespect) but this is a premier show which is based on the movie but broadens the story of each character. At the end of each episode each character has a touching moment where you almost feel sorry for them and this creates characters that you can have apathy with and also care about and in a way feel almost sorry for. I will definitely be buying the boxset.

I had heard nothing about this, I just saw it advertised on TV as "Italian Sopranos" so myself and my wife started watching it. We both agree that this is one of the best TV series we have seen.

The casting is spot on with the characters being totally believable and very very well acted. The attention to detail is fantastic seeing that it is set in Rome in the 70's (for the first series anyway) so the cars. clothes and hairstyles and even the home furnishings are all authentic.

The story is gripping as the gang go from plot line to plot line and the interactions between the characters keep you guessing as to what is going to happen next. The fact that its set against a backdrop of when Italy was going through a period of its history which involved the turmoil of corruption, terrorism and criminality and that's just the government, leaves you with a hard choice of who to root for.

All in all thoroughly entertaining and believable.

Mark S.

What a wonderful series. Just finished watching the finale of series 2 and it has be breathing hard. And it's not just becomes its the finale, its the whole series and every episode with has been like that. Yes it's in Italian so the subtitles are key, that way I think we tend to focus more and are less distracted by other things at home, and that makes it much more enjoyable. The storyline itself is quite good which makes the core of the series of great quality. The direction keep the story moving fast , though it feels that the transition sometime isn't that smooth. But I thought the crude sense makes the series even more charming. The main leads do a great job and are quite ably supported. I have manly seen series2 and now have to see the first series for sure , the other way round would be much better but I think it'll be great fun all the same. The editing is brilliant and hence thrill of the series is kept alive through every episode because of that. A must watch for people who love good action TV ( it is a crime series so expect a lot of gun related action) ....a have to have to watch for people who love mafia related television.

Romanzo criminale was hidden away on the Sky arts channel and I'm glad i found it. I have watched the three series devotedly and i must say this was one of the best TV programme I've followed. In my opinion, its an Italian version of The Sopranos, if you've ever watched the Sopranos you'll definitely enjoy this. The whole series was in sub titles and I think the sub titles added to the intensity of this show. It goes into very graphic detail of the rise of a criminal gang in Rome, starting from the seventies. All the characters were believable and I wouldn't be surprised if it was based on some criminals of their time in Italy/Rome.

I really don't understand what took me so long to watch, let alone, discover this amazing show.

Romanzo Criminale is an immensely realistic and edgy show. Based on events of street thugs turned criminal organization in 1970-1980s Rome, the series seemed to portray the decade's atmosphere with perfection and had me captivated for its entirety.

There was some sort of novelty, if not charm, of seeing a group of amateur thugs band together to form lifelong friendships, pursuits of love or strive for a better life in general - all in the backdrop of social/political unrest of Italy at the time.

Despite humble beginnings, these somewhat naive core characters begin to see the stark realities that surround them. Betrayals, murders, greed and revenge are only just a small taste of what ultimately corrupts the main and side characters, turning one against the other or forming alliances.

The characters and how they are conditioned/molded is really what shines here. To see Libanese rise from such impoverished, depressive conditions or the undying struggle for justice by Commissioner Scialoja. The characters and narrative are further strengthened by a well written, intense script, excellent cinematography, truly monumental climaxes and actors that really pull of some outstanding performances (particularly Freddo's character).

Ultimately, this is a show that will drag you in, keep you extremely invested in multiple characters and then crush you at least a few times, but it's okay! Criminale Romanzo's charm and realism never really wears off and manages to tell a great story with conviction. Disregard the fact that you'll have to watch this with subtitles, it is Easily one of the best TV shows I have ever watched.

Now that Gomorrah has reached 4 seasons (soon the fifth and I hope last season) I can say that Romanzo Criminale is perhaps the most beautiful and perfect show ever filmed, Gomorrah is another masterpiece but unfortunately it is lasting too long, even if it is still on levels very high you begin to notice the repetitiveness of the situations, in fact I hope that they keep their word and that with the fifth they close everything. Romazon, on the other hand, is perfect, a smart, short series that does not linger and tells the criminal epic of this gang in a sublime, perfect and blunt way. Stefano Sollima confirms himself as the best Italian director ever

One terrific and most powerful Italian crime series, one of the most brutal I have ever seen, far far more bloody than any other American one. I find here the same violence we had in the Italian films from the seventies. Really exciting scheme, with so many outstanding characters to whom you get glued to, no matter the degree in criminality they are involved in. Stefano Sollima is definitely the new master of the Italian crime industry, as Michele Placido was one or two decades ago, and in a more terrific way. I remind you that Stefano Sollima already gave us SUBURRA and GOMORRA series and of course next year the next movie to SICARIO and named SOLDATO, about Mexican drug cartels. So, after Italian mafias, Sollima will be plunged deep into the Spanish spoken underworld, far more brutal than the Sicilian one. Back to this series, I am still shaking, reminding how impressive the late seventies, eighties and early nineties atmosphere were, with the music score of those fantastic years. This is a pure masterpiece. And this actress Giovanna Di Rauso, the female killer amazon with snake eyes, the kind of lady who, if I crossed her path in the street and saw her asking me for the time, I would quickly give her my watch and run away from this shark female. What a dame....What eyes she has...

A pure must see....

When this series came out Italy was taken by a storm. Usually Italian TV it's a mix of boring carabinieri and saints portraits...This is the best series we ever produced. And I can assure you that not only it's based on a real story, but the associates and the families member still alive are very much part of the criminal web of Rome.And like me, whoever was born in Rome knows very well La Banda della Magliana and it's legacy.All the characters have different name but if you look up for the real story they're easy to spot. Some of them are still alive and the actual Freddo is just being taken off the special witness protection program and he's back in Rome.

Gomorra La Series blew my mind and romanzo criminale blew up the rest of it. gomorra looked like they were about to kill a whole bunch of people but romanzo looked like they already have. that is how i compare these two amazing Italian crime series. i mean from the storyline to the characters and the rest of it, top tier entertainment. its realistic yet fantastic at the same time. how does a series stay soo interesting one might say. i guess there has to be killings, betrayal, surprises, victories and defeat. these two series has all of it and it never gets old. very well thought out and thoroughly executed. i know gomorra has a third season comin but its been a minute for this one. i hope there will be more and if not something similar. ill be watching these series again cause of the high replay value. its not for the faint hearted or the immature tho. i never really do reviews but this one well deserved one, its the least i could do. much props to the gomorra production and romanzo criminale productions. the actors and actresses did a great job even tho i had to read subtitles throughout. I've just started to look into more Italian shows and movies cause i didn't know they were soo good. hopefully IMDb will turn me out to some more. i look forward to more Italian TV in the near future cause it really doesn't get much better.

If you are watching this then you obviously like authentic mafia style dramas, if so then nothing tops Gomorrah. This is one of the better efforts but if this is getting 8, 9 and even 10s then Gomorrah is out of the park as it is 5 or 10 times better. RC is a bit slow at first but understandably as we build our relationship with the charactes and some good stuff. Unfortunately I watched Gomorrah first otherwise I might have more superlatives for RC. All the same, this is a half decent Italian mafia series and better than most of the other efforts within the same genre, however it just doesn't reach the same heights and subconsciously immerse yourself into the characters like Gomorrah does, but hey each to their own right.

Difference between this and Gomorrah Cinematography RC = 1 Gomorrah = 10

Characters RC = 3 Gomorrah = 9

Acting RC = 3 Gomorrah = 9

Action RC = 3 Gomorrah = 10

All round, RC = 5 Gomorrah = 10+10+10

Simply not on the same planet! Any reviewer that actually thinks RC is better than Gomorrah needs to get back to licking a bus window!

RC is well worth the watch. Just watch it before Gomorrah. Otherwise you will lose interest.

What a top notch TV series. Great not just by Italian standards, but by any standard. One of the best, if not the very best crime series I've ever seen, and I consider this better than most crime films. It has nothing to do with the Sopranos, which follows the life of a mafia family, a man at the very top of the food chain and his personal family. This show is about young guys, not a family, only partners in crime, and their rise from the very bottom. It is somewhat similar to Peaky Blinders in that regard.

It is deep and rich. It's not a very fast paced show, but it's fast enough that every episode has actual events and significance. It's not a slow show at all - no mood setting scenes, long dialogues about insignificant things that are just about foreshadowing or symbolism, but it doesn't skip on details of how this gang went up, so no montages to rush through the process just to get us where they are, as an established gang. It's not a story about an established gang, it's the story of the rise of this group of young men in the crime world.

The other recent Italian TV series to get big outside Italy is 1992, but this is much better than 1992. It's better than any Italian series and almost all Italian films. It's seriously that good. It is in my top 20 best TV shows of all time and is rising by the episode.

A fellow reviewer compared this show with Sopranos. Well, nothing can compare with Tony & his gang, BUT this one was a masterpiece in its own way. Well made, great actors that slipped into the skin of characters they played, engrossing storyline. I enjoyed each and every minute of this classic series. One of the best Mob series that I have ever watched after Sopranos & Gomorra. Sad that it ended.

Violent gang of people from the 70s Shows the connection between Crinials who become powerful to the Scitcilian mafia and to very powerful people (Illuminati) Great acting

For fans of the The Wire, Breaking Bad, The Sopranos - check this out! This is one of the best crime shows I've ever seen, and it may even be better than the later counterpart Italian crime drama Gomorrah. It is truly a hidden gem. The plot is executed perfectly from start to finish. It is only two seasons long, and every episode is absolutely gripping. It moves slower than a Gomorrah, and resembles The Wire in many ways - the plot is complex with a variety of mysteries, surprises, and character development. This is the most "criminally" unknown crime drama I've come across!

A classic! This is one of the few series which I would watch over & over again! Such a shame that it only ran to 2 seasons, as the characters could have carried it much further. All of the characters were flawed, in some way, but who isn't! Doesn't stop you wishing that some would make it out alive. Bring back Libanese via aliens, post mortem resuscitation, or any other means!

Gomorra went for too long and become repetitive,but have to say ,the first season was a 10 and second was very good. The sets and clothing 70s and 80s are great. Well directed and acted and good scripts! its good there is only 2 seasons instead then keep on going past expiration date in quality and momentum. watch in original Italian with subtitles...

I saw The Wire about 10 years ago, and only a few crime series I've seen have come close. The Deuce was one, Love/Hate (strongly recommend, Irish gangsters) was another, but this trumps The Wire.

I am actually astonished there's been only 5000 people who've rated this when The Sopranos has 285,000! They don't compare in the slightest!

There isn't one non-believable character in the show, the soundtrack fits every single scene perfect, and the acting is borderline perfect, I didn't think in 1 scene 'yeah right' or 'as if' as the entire setting was entirely believable.

36 year old man, I've read hundreds of fact-based books on the mafia, and every thing I ever imagined about it was brought to life in this series.

If you're thinking about buying/giving this a chance I can't recommend it enough, stop whatever you're doing, walk the dog later, grab yourself a beer and put it on!

10/10 and possibly the best thing I've ever seen.

A gang deals drogs, death and other unfortunate things. ,,Libanese,, is the boss, though they admit gang means all for one and one for all. murder after murder and the external danger that is the police throws them in a suite of misfortune events for them: losing trust in each other, betrails. its the 70s and the 80s and these tough criminals drive those beatle small cars that look ridiculous but the effect is done right. it s the world how it was back then. there are few ,,belle donne,, a cop, the cop, that falls easy for their charm altough all of them are at lead prostitutes. the world seems complete. the thing that lacks is the bussiness itself. we see them taking decisions but we only see them. the low working dealears and low men are missing from picture. this is a good show. if you wanna see it you will probably have a problem in finding subtitles. good luck! and vizionare placuta!

I put this show on the same scale as GOMORRA series, and not only because Stefano Sollima was involved in the directing, and maybe production and writing too. As I have already said before, who, better than Italians, can speak about mafia and street gangs. It is so closer to reality than most of Hollywood films. Character depiction and relationship are aweome in this show, outstanding, better than the movie with the same title, already an excellent film. It is a flawless piece of work, gritty, poignant, bloody, moving, tense, gripping, unforgettable. I prefer this compared to SOPRANO for instance, which was some kind of DESPERATE HOUSE WIVES among gangsters.

All I need to really say is just watch this series !!! I was hooked from the first minute. Ended up watching the first season in a span of a day and still wanted more. The actors, cinematography, story line, everything you can name was top notch by director Stefano Sollima. To top it off the show was never repetitive (like other crime series) the plot and story line is on a steady incline throughout the entire duration and never keeps you short of guessing what's next. Compared to the similar series "Gomorrah" which is also an excellent series, Romanzo criminale takes the prize by a mile. Incredible series to say the least.