User reviews

I cannot recall another movie of this type where the protagonist, an elderly mafia hit-man,comes across as one of the better individuals we encounter. And this impression manages to persist despite the multiple crimes we see him commit. Basically he's a bad guy doing bad things to bad people for a good reason. The scenes between Dannny Goldring as the burnt-out cop on the verge of retirement and Frank Vincent as the washed-up hit-man, two has-beens on opposite sides of the law, were especially well done. Solid performances by all the cast, especially Mike Starr as repulsive Mafia Boss Lorenzo Galante. Incidentally both Frank Vincent and Mike Starr appeared in Goodfellas. Personally I find this lower-key movie the better of the two. For some reason this movie seems to have been completely overlooked, perhaps the absence of moral blacks-and-whites put reviewers off. But if you like the genre you will enjoy this one.

Frank Vincent is excellent as the senior citizen hit man who volunteers for one last big job. The acting by all concerned is above average, and the photography quite creative. There is of course plenty of violence, but it is not gratuitous. My only objection to "Chicago Overcoat" would be that Armand Assante and Mike Starr really have small roles for being featured on the DVD cover. It is Frank Vincent who shines throughout and almost singlehandedly carries the film. The story flows nicely and has a couple of minor twists and turns. Character development is especially strong, and along with the compelling script, delivers a very enjoyable movie experience. - MERK

The action scenes were better than expected but surely not so realistic. Only the main actors have any agency.

I have seen Goodfellas and Casino and No country for old men and this genre is as watchable on all levels. I'm just trying to get through to people who enjoy substance over CGI and i watched this without getting bored and I recommend it. This is not your usual suspects, in fact with little effort it has managed to make Old men Dangerous and young people should remember that there is no substitute for experience and being 50 years old myself means I am like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, Very Dangerous because Death is not the worst thing that can happen to you and you can take your time which is deadlier than any young punk on a mission

If you want to watch a good mob mafia movie this is decent

I really wanted to like this movie. But within the first few minutes its attempt at being a film noir was an epic fail. The script read like a theatrical production rather than a cinematic feature. And every character was a cliché: The main character, Lou, is an aging mob soldier who requests a murder contract in an attempt to capture his younger glory days. Add to that his longtime spurned lover, his dysfunctional daughter, his young and innocent grandson, and the pair of big city cops on his tail. Not only were all of the characters a cast of clichés, but the storyline was as well. To add to it, every character had one dimension of emotion, which was anger. It gave the audience no reason to like anyone or remain engaged in the story. By the end, this film became a caricature of itself.

While this story isn't breaking any new ground, it is something of a surprise. The writing feels adequate and nothing seems awkward in the telling of this mediocre screenplay, but it is definitely Frank Vincent who carries this movie on his back. Frank plays Lou Marazano, an aging enforcer for a Chicago crime family who finds himself needing to help his divorced daughter and grandson. To help them out, he takes on a few important contracts which the head of the family, Lorenzo Galante (played by Armand Assante) puts on 3 persons who have first hand knowledge of his past crimes. If this knowledge gets in the hands of the Feds, Galante would go away for a long time.

The cast does an amazing job and the direction pulls things together nicely. Everything considered, the performances make this run of the mill story engaging and dramatic.

If you are like me and enjoy mafia stories, you will probably like this. If not, you will probably find this movie mundane.

If you can relate to the great American author Arthur Miller who wrote the stage and theater play Death of a Salesman than you know the tragic life that Willy Loman the main character in Death of a salesman had. Frank Vincent plays Lou Marazano an aging mobster muscle who never makes captain of his crew. Now Lou's legacy is his daughter and his young grandson. Lou realizes that he has not always been the best father to his daughter during his lifetime of criminal activities. He wants to make things right in his waning years.

Lou's son-in-law is a low life criminal who would rather snort cocaine and hang out at the local strip club than spend any quality time with his wife and son. Lou takes it upon himself to just talk to his step son but this low life has little respect for an aging mobster who could never make captain in his crew. Lou needs to set this scumbag straight not on who he is as a man, but that his grandson needs his father and if his son-in-law does not want to fulfill his parental obligations Lou has an alternative plan.

To make some extra money Lou agrees to take on the contract hits of three local stool pigeons who are going to proceed to court against a mob boss. Lou's signature for completing a contract hit was to always send the widow a bunch of flowers minus the sympathy card. There is an old detective named Ralph Maloney played very well by character actor Danny Goldring who remembers this old mobster's signature calling card but he has to prove that Lou Marazano has come out of retirement after almost 30 years of staying silent with his gun.

So the chase is on and the story line I felt was not only appealing but intriguing and kept the audience guessing how this modern day Willy Loman copycat would end up. Actor Mike Starr plays mob boss Lorenzo Galante who is taking his instructions from the big boss Stefano D'Agnostino played by Armand Assante who orders the hit on the three witnesses that aging Lou Marazano pleads to take on as he really needs the money. We learn later that the assassination money is to be used for only good purposes which I don't want to spoil for anyone who has yet to see this good mobster film.

Lou also has a love interest in the attractive Lorraine Lionello played by the versatile actress Kathrine Narducci. I just loved her role in the Chazz Palminteri 1993 crime film "A Bronx Tale". She played the mother of a young boy named Calogero who was torn between his love for his bus driver dad played by Robert DeNiro and the local mob boss Chazz Palminteri. In my opinion, this is one of the best crime films I have ever seen and it ranks right up there with the Godfather.

As for Chicago Overcoat the title refers to a 1940's term for a gangster rubbing out his opposition and when the dead guy is in his coffin, he is termed to be wearing a Chicago overcoat. The film is well worth watching and I must say I like the way the film ended. I will say no more but encourage you to watch the film. I rate it a 6 out of 10.

I liked the story line and the tommy gun action but the rest of he film was a boring mess of obscenities and dumb stupidities!

The hitman dropped guns full of fingerprints and the acting was over the top Italian gangster mumble talk.

Cops made so many mistakes around the gunmen they deserved to die. Running straight into a room where a gunman may be.

Final shootout has the hitman swing round with a gun when any good cop would have stepped back and to the side ready for such a thing and put two bullets into him!

What baffled me was why are the streets, bars and restaurants so empty!

I'll not bother watching it again.

Great movie... Great idea... Terrible acting and directing

Absolutely terrible. sad to see armand and vincent in such an awfully written and directed movie.

I was living in Chicago when much of this was filmed. This is true life, forget "fake reality TV", this is the real deal. The main star grows on you, you can empathize and feel what he is feeling, although you might not choose his route! Point is, when I finished watching, early in the morning, I thought, "Wow, this is a great movie". Gritty, real in the mob life, the drug life, the police life, and politics. Here you have a criminal, a former hit-man, and he has needs, to care for his family, to hold his rep, to be cared for. The ending was I surprise. I won't spoil, just watch the movie!

Great Movie! The action and suspense had me on the edge of my seat. So excited that Chicago Overcoat has been picked up for a second run 10 years after it's world premiere; WAY BETTER than The Irishman!

Director Brian Caunter has created a gem in Chicago Overcoat.

Starring Frank Vincent who has also been in other classic gangster flicks, Goodfellas 1990, Casino 1995 and other classic flicks, Animal Room 1995, Jungle Fever 1991, Last Exit to Brooklyn 1989, Do the Right Thing 1989 and Raging Bull 1980.

Also starring Kathrine Narducci.

Aso starring Mike Starr who has also been in other classic flicks, Wrong Turn at Tahoe 2009, Summer of Sam 1999, Born on the Fourth of July 1990, Last Exit to Brooklyn also with Frank Vincent and other classic gangster flicks, Goodfellas also with Frank Vincent and Millers Crossing 1990.

Also starring Armand Assante who has also been in another classic flick, Blind Justice 1994 and another classic gangster flick, Federal Protection 2002.

Also starring Stacy Keach who has also been in other classic flicks, Machete 2010, American History X 1998, The Long Riders 1980 and Up in Smoke 1978.

I enjoyed the violence and shootouts.

If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic gangster flicks, Bloody Mama 1970, The Butcher 2009, Dillinger 1973, Hit List 1989, Kill the Irishman 2011, Last Man Standing 1996, The Outfit 1973, Point Blank 1967, The Rise and Fall of Legs Diamond 1960, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre 1967, The Departed 2006, Once Upon a Time in America 1984, The Don Is Dead 1973, A Bronx Tale 1993, The Night Comes for Us 2018 and Mean Streets 1973.

I have a lot respect for frank vincet. I also love voice offers and a great actor telling the story. Ray liota in good fellas, robert deniro in the bronx tale, and joe pesci and robert deniro in casino. It truly fills in the gaps of bad writing. I read some reviews and im just wondering what movie they were hoping for. This a movie about the Chicago outfit. You are going to get cops, wise guys and family life. That's just what its going to be about. That's what they all are about. I love this movie cause usually its about the rise and fall of a certain member but this was about a soldier who was passed over for capo. And was getting old. I really love this take. Maybe thats where some reviews are upset. They love the flashy cars, fancy watches and they slick talking gangstas but forget about it. This movie is told from a soldier perspective who wants move up the ranks after being passed over for decades. Who can't relate to not getting promoted at their job. Thr tommy gun was a bit much. But its nice throw back. And frank Vicent is funny. Maybe a few of you forgot why they call them "wise guys". If anyone is looking for mob movies and wants to see frank Vincent in a lead role this is it. Ive seen them all. Godfather, casino, goodfellas, bronx tale and so. This is up there.

*The Richter scale is: A measure of the strength of earthquakes, developed in 1935 by Charles Francis Richter, the highest figure recorded was 8.6 in 1960, the Chile Earthquake, this film scores 9, meaning severe destruction and loss of life in 2-hours by one very determined guy Frank Vincent, who deserves an Oscar for playing the part of an ageing hit-man. Question answered: "What is a Chicago overcoat", it is a coffin and a lousy title for a great-great film whose subject matter is a glimpse into the life of an aged gangster who presumably survived the Al Capone and Frank Nitti period in Chicago and still on the go, an elderly hit man who carry's out hits on people we know nothing about, one bullet to the chest, one to the head then phone the boss man tomorrow to collect whats owed.

All the other roles are supporting roles, the Police officers, the broads, the inevitable chase and shoot out, but with so many twist's and turns you do not want this film to end. Maybe, a few scenes with illegal activity, hijacking a truck or two, maybe a casino floor wide-shot, or a racetrack, or betting shop might have made this film go down better, but what the hell, it scores 9, and is the best film we have watched for ages. I loved it, if it was produced in 1948 the Cagney and Bogart crime film period the queue for tickets would have stopped Broadway. Frank Vincent is the Stars star of this film, Mr Vincent can now reply if asked: Wasn't you once a big film star can now reply "I am still a big film star, it was the films that got smaller." Thanks Frank, Mr Vincent for putting some great acting on the screen for others to copy and learn from.