What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

****SPOILERS**** Somewhat fictionalized movie about the life and times of Joseph "Crazy Joe" Gallo played by a scaled down Peter Boyle who's last name-Gallo-for some reason in the film is never once mentioned and slipped in when he's in a liquor store shaking down the owner, that he ended up getting sent up the river or prison for,by showing Crazy Joe standing next to a case of Gallo wine. As for Crazy Joe himself we get to see him and his gang including his ulcer ridden big brother Richie, Rip Thorn, that feel that their getting the short end of the stick from their Mafia bosses by receiving just $100.00 a hit, knocking off someone, that they preform for them.Wanting respect as well as a place in the mob hierarchy in the end gets Crazy Joe in hot water with his boss of bosses Mafia Don Vittorio, Eli Wallach, who at first tries to placate the crazy guy by giving him control of the Brooklyn Red Hook sections mob operations that Crazy Joe and his boys come from. This is after Don Vittorio had one of Crazy Joe's rivals for Mafia promotion Coletti, Charles Cioffi, knocked off at an Italian anti defamation rally at New York's Central Park for not keeping his big mouth shut and not drawing attention to the mobs criminal activities! Crazy Joe was in no way as crazy as a fox he was really crazy and got his name after being diagnosed by the prison doctors as suffering from sever schizophrenia which explains his actions in the movie. One of them integrating the black Harlem mob lead by his friend and former cell-mate Willy, Fred Williamson, into his at the time all white Italian gang!This had Don Vittorio's blood boil especially when Crazy Joe invited Willy and his boys to the Don's mansion-That shocked and enraged Don Vittorio- who made a complete mess, by not showing any respect to the Don, of the place! With Crazy Joe now too big for his own bridges and completely out of control Don Vittorio ordered a hit on him and waited for his 43rd birthday, April 7, 1972, to execute it on the wild and crazy guy as well as his good friend black mob boss now known as Uncle Willy who's invited to his birthday party at the Victorio's Clam Bar in Little Italy.P.S Crazy Joe paid the price in the saying that those who "Live by the gun die by the gun". Crazy Joe always admired Johnny Udo in the 1947 film "Kiss of Death" and styled himself after Mr. Udo in being as he always called those he hated in the film a "Big Man" or the guy in the movie-Victor Mature-who's ratting him out to the police that sent Johnny Udo up the river. In the end Crazy Joe shared the same fate as his screen idol-Johnny Udo-who unlike himself lived to face justice for the crimes that he committed.

"What do these Hollywood types know about gangsters?" (Crazy Joe, when he encounters a film crew on the street)Ironically, a good point. (Or was the irony intentional? I doubt it...) Hollywood types have generally proved to know very little about the mob (or almost anything else for that matter), or at least often present aspects of that culture in a misleading or somewhat romanticized manner. However, there isn't too much silliness or idolatry going on here, i.e. CJ's mobsters are to the most part portrayed accurately/realistically, in other words as the uncontrollable sociopaths that they are and always will be. Thankfully, this isn't a Sydney Lumet picture in which the viewer is required/asked to sympathize with criminals by taking an irrational, liberal, childishly anti-establishment attitude. (See "Find Me Guilty", a fantasy mobster court-room drama in which a "happy ending" constitutes a dozen mobster defendants being acquitted of crimes they did commit...) The radiant 70s look, a brisk plot development, and the generally good cast make up for some occasional flaws.Fonz as a gangster?? He is about a head shorter than all the (fe)male cast members - and that includes Harve Villachaize. Truly threatening-looking. Not to mention his perpetual "mild-mannered accountant's" facial expression, which he cannot get rid off even if a team of top plastic surgeons tried to help him in that fantastic feat. That was a major casting blunder. What's next... Kate Hudson as head of NASA? Casey Affleck as Superman? Another casting error, though far less dramatic than the Fonz fiasco, was picking Charles Cioffi to play a rising mob star. An actor's Italian name alone does not necessarily a suitable mafiosi make. He too lacks the aura of psychopathy that even the least violent mobster (which isn't saying much) has, lurking below the surface.Why do mobsters' wives and girfriends, i.e. harlots, nearly always get portrayed favourably in movies? It doesn't take a brilliant deductive mind or world-class detective skills to figure out that such women can't be morally much more impressive than the scum they they date. Admittedly, Paula Prentiss's character is underdeveloped, but whatever little we see of her seems to be far too flattering for that kind of woman.On one or two occasions the jumps from one scene to the next are too quick, making the flow of the movie somewhat shaky. It's as though the initial running time of CJ had been 30 minutes longer, and a commercially-driven butchering job had been implemented at the last minute in the editor's room.

i have seen this movie many years ago,i knew most of the people the actors were playing the movie was to me a great movie,if any one can write me as to where i can purchase this movie i will be grateful.all the actors were really good, Peter Boyle and Paula Prentiss are great together, Fred Williamson also played a good part' i never knew that rip torn played Richie,again i really enjoyed the movie,and can't wait to see it again. i have tried all over to get this movie with no results,so again if there is any one that can help me to buy this movie please get in touch with me Saracenoa@Bellsouth.net thank you again

Crazy Joe perfectly melds two cultural aspects of a fantastic seventies genre, the crime thriller. With a New York location and loads of terrific American character actors in addition to Italian direction, production and veterans of Italian poliziotti, this film stands out on many levels. Peter Boyle is chillingly effective as Joe, a power hungry Family soldier who desperately wants his own piece of the action with his brother and a small, but loyal army. He wages a war in New York to the dismay of the Capo di tutti capi and ultimately winds up in prison on a federal charge of liquor distribution. Once out, Crazy Joe plots his next move with his new partner, members of the Black Mob. What makes Crazy Joe stand out are the tons of familiar faces from movies of the era. Rip Torn, Luther Adler, Charles Cioffi, Carmine Caridi, Louis Guss, Eli Wallach, all appear in this movie. Even small roles are handled by well-known faces. Michael Gazzo (Godfather 2) plays a cook who still can't speak English despite being in NYC for years and years. Herve Villechaize of The Man With The Golden Gun and Fantasy Island fame is seen briefly as one of Joe's soldiers. There are veterans of Polizotti films (Fausto Tozzi) and Enzo the baker from the Godfather makes an appearance (Gabriele Torrei) to devastating effect.The gritty locations, bloddy violence, period music, and dialogue are all top-notch. A must for all organized crime film buffs. If "Mean Streets" were combined with "Il Consigliori", this movie would be the end result!!! The only fault I find with this movie is that it is so HARD TO FIND!!! This classic needs a DVD treatment ASAP!