Gomorrah (or Gomorra in Italian) is a film that attempts to shed light on the murky world of Italy’s oldest organized crime outfit, the Camorra.

Based on the book of the same name by Roberto Saviano the big screen adaptation shows five interlinked stories, based on real life events, that show the different ways in which the clans of the Camorra touch the lives of Campania locals.

These five storylines do a good job in covering the main aspects of the Camorra’s operations in the area which mainly consist of drug trafficking and racketeering as well as more sophisticated forays into politics and business.

• Director - Matteo Garrone
• Released - 2008
• Run Time - 135 minutes
• Language - Italian
• Budget - $6.2 million

For any aficionados of organised crime this film is worth a look as it does a good job of highlighting the many issues that arise in areas where organised crime is rife. Its portrayal of the Bay of Naples and its inhabitants does come across as being very realistic and it pulls no punches.

However, as a result of trying to use the five different stories to cover as much of the Camorra’s impact as possible the film lacks any consistent drive. At times it struggles to hold your attention as the stories slowly build and reveal how they all tie in together. If you are not a fan of films such as Goodfellas and City of God, and if the TV series The Wire doesn’t grab your attention then this film isn’t for you. It is a well educated and seemingly accurate portrayal of life in Camorra-blighted Naples but it is not a greatly entertaining film.

Just before the end credits role a number of facts about the Camorra are flashed up. They left me feeling that I had seen a film that had taught me a lot more than it had admitted and really whetted my appetite for the book. I think the book would probably be much more entertaining as it is able to delve deeper into each area than the film, hopefully giving each story a full airing. I will definitely be putting the book on my Christmas list.