Delayed Reaction: The Many Saints of Newark

Premise: A prequel of The Sopranos.

 

TV shows turned into movies have a dicey history. There are the resounding successes like Star Trek: a show with a clear premise, clearly defined character roles, and an adaptable "adventure of the week" structure that can be adapted and expanded easily. More commonly though, the films struggle to be more than "one for the fans". I remember watching the Downton Abbey movie before seeing the show. While I could mostly follow along with what was going on, I was aware of how much I was missing. When I went back and rewatched it after watching the series, it all fit much better.

 

I'd say The Many Saints of Newark is close to the Deadwood movie or maybe even the Sex and the City movie in terms of the approach. It'll feel slight and busy to anyone unfamiliar with the show. Like a copy of a copy of Goodfellas. But it can't hide its TV shows roots. David Chase is a TV writer. He thinks of this world in terms of TV. As a result, The Many Saints of Newark feels a lot like a season of TV compacted to 2 hours. And it certainly doesn't feel like an entry point. The shape of this movie is formed by fan expectations. Going in, we know the characters who need to be included and who has to be important. There's not much room to work in.

 

This is where I should admit that I'm a Sopranos agnostic. I've seen it once about a decade ago. I fully understand its place in TV history. It's fair to call it an essential text even. The show is foundational for how TV has evolved over the last 20 years. The writing, acting, and directing are all rich with skill, thought, and detail. I don't care for it much though. I have no desire to revisit it. I don't know why. It just doesn't interest me that much. That said, I hold nothing against it. I'm not annoyed that other people love the show. It's just like Buffy the Vampire Slayer to me. Let the fans love it and I'll love something else.

 

So, I came into The Many Saints of Newark with little investment and knowledge. I wasn't going to rewatch the show in preparation. I'm not even checking the Wikipedia page as a refresher. This movie is being pitched as a standalone movie, so it should be an entry point to The Sopranos the way that Serenity is an ambassador for Firefly. Sadly, I'd say this movie is only for the fans. Every other scene, I was pausing to remember if that's a reference to something later or that we already knew. Which characters were already dead by the start of the show? Who actually matters later? Are they telling me this because it matters for this movie or as foreshadowing for the series?

 

As a standalone film, this movie was pretty mediocre. The legacy of The Many Saints of Newark will be that thing people are on the fence about including in their Sopranos rewatches. It'll be like the Veronica Mars movie and sequel season or the Psych movies. Like The Sopranos, this is a movie I have little natural desire to reflect on more. I hope the fans have fun.

 

Verdict: Weakly Don't Recommend*

*If you haven't seen the show.