Directed by James Cleave and written by Tom Ward-Thomas, a dysfunctional family plays a post-dinner round of ‘Mafia’. A card game that soon spirals out of control as embarrassing secrets are revealed and uncomfortable truths are exposed, potentially changing the family dynamic forever. Starring: Rosalind Adler, Martin Ball, Cheska Hill-Wood, Samuel Lawrence, Lottie Tolhurst, Fabrizio Tullio, Tom Ward-Thomas and Matthew Wellard.

If there was one quick way to describe Mafia, it would be that it is exceptionally British, in a really enjoyable way. Whether it be the accents, the dialogue, the tone or the sarcasm, everything boldly hits that Brit note. One particularly strong way is in the classic family awkwardness, grudges and avoidance of talking about personal matters. The way it’s delivered is almost reminiscent of classic comedy, films of the 1960s and 1970s.

Whereas the style feels modern, particularly with the great editing work from Christopher Dean which nicely feeds into the pacing and tension. There’s a clean edge to James Cleave’s directorial style, it’s intimate and focused, closing in but keeping plenty of movement to embrace the growing chaos. The pacing is done well to fit a lot into a short time without feeling rushed.

Another big part of that is the ensemble, Cleave manages to fill Mafia with a number of different characters but never makes it feel over-stuffed. Everyone has something to add, something to stoke the fire of their intensifying argument. There’s no standout because they all play off each other really well, and they do a wonderful job of making a convincing, captivating family, who are ready to get the knives out when it suits them.

Mafia captures how booze and games can be a quick recipe for a few home truths. It’s well shot, edited and paced to create a quick and satisfyingly incendiary evening. There’s a great cast at work who bring a fun atmosphere, bringing in the risks but never becoming serious, always keeping that playful tone. It has a modern style but there’s also something charmingly old-school about it, in how it uses simple yet clever set-ups and a classic sense of humour.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10

Screened as part of Birmingham Film Festival 2024 and is an official selection at The Soho London Independent Film Festival taking place from 23rd-26th Jan 2025