‘The Brooklyn Banker’ review: Mob tale treads familiar ground

A mob drama set in 1970s Williamsburg, “The Brooklyn Banker” comes with an inspirational back story. Its writer is Michael Ricigliano, a Locust Valley attorney who began writing screenplays at the age of 40. Directed by Federico Castelluccio — known to fans of “The Sopranos” as the hitman Furio Giunta — “The Brooklyn Banker” marks Ricigliano’s first feature-length movie.

It’s the story of Santo Bastucci (Troy Garity, of the “Barbershop” films), a straight-arrow type who has just been promoted at National Merchants Bank. He’s a human calculator who can memorize large numbers as easily as the alphabet — a helpful skill when you don’t want to write anything down. Santo has two children with his wife, Ann (Elizabeth Masucci), the daughter of a local underboss, Benny (Paul Sorvino).

As you might guess, that’s where the trouble starts. Benny takes Santo to the kingpin Manny Mistera (David Proval), known as “The Hand” for his habit of chopping them off. Manny needs help with some questionable cashier’s checks, and Santo quickly realizes he can’t say no.

Right now you’re probably quoting Michael Corleone — “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” — and that’s one of this movie’s problems. “The Brooklyn Banker” presents an awfully familiar cast of characters, the same Mafia types we’ve seen for decades. Prominent mention of Italian foods like calzone, cannoli and pasta fazool tend to reinforce the sense that this movie is thinking inside a box. Only Santo, with his uniquely wired brain and determination not to become another neighborhood crook, feels like an original creation.

Castelluccio’s direction can be a little rough — punches don’t always connect, and one slap lands almost a full second out of sync — but he has a nice eye for real-life locations. The film’s yellowed dive bars and low-ceilinged restaurants (the landmark Bamonte’s makes an appearance) feel wholly authentic. Scenes set against Williamsburg’s annual Giglio Feast also add color.

All right, so “The Brooklyn Banker” isn’t exactly “The Godfather.” Still, it marks an achievement for Ricigliano, who reportedly has other projects in the works. Maybe next time, though, leave the cannoli.