ACTING ...GREAT! SETTING...GREAT! DIRECTING...GREAT! WHAT A GREAT JOB BY GARY OLDMAN, AS USUAL. SEAN PENN & ED HARRIS AS USUAL, EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCES. HOWEVER THE WRITING MUST'VE RUN OUT OF IDEAS AND DECIDED TO END THIS QUITE ABRUPTLY. THE ENDING WAS ALMOST LIKE "COMMANDO"; UNREALISTIC & UNMOVING FOR SUCH WORK TO DRAW YOU INTO THESE CHARACTERS PERSONALLY. NOWHERE NEAR THE TOP OF THE MOB MOVIE CHAIN...THE GODFATHERS, THE CASINO'S, THE GOODFELLAS, THE ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA'S, THE SCARFACE'S, THE DONNIE BRASCO'S, THE BLOW'S OR THE CARLITO'S WAY'S. I'D LIKE TO CALL MYSELF A MOB MOVIE BUFF & IF YOU APPRECIATE THE OTHER'S MENTIONED AND HAVE SEEN ALL, I REPEAT, ALL OF THE AFOREMENTIONED MOB MOVIE PENNACLE ACHIEVEMENTS, YOU WILL NOT ENJOY THIS MOVIE AS AN HISTORIC CONTRIBUTION TO THIS ELITE GENRE OF GANGSTA! GOOD WATCH BUT A LETDOWN. BEST GARY OLDMAN SINCE THE PROFESSIONAL.