“The Alto Knights” is a 2025 movie from director Barry Levinson starring big names like Robert De Niro as Frank Costello/Vito Genovese, Debra Messing as Bobbie, Kathrine Narducci as Anna, Cosmo Jarvis as Vincent Gigante, and more. The movie explores the intense rivalry between Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, with each vying for control of the Luciano family.
The Alto Knights (2025) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
Who is Frank Costello & Vito Genovese?
The film opens with mafia boss Frank Costello being gunned down in the lobby of a building. Luck, however, is on Costello’s side. He miraculously survives, even after taking a bullet to the head. The police press him for answers, trying to get the name of the shooter or whoever might have hired the hitman. But he claims he has no idea who would want him dead, insisting he’s just a simple man with no known enemies. Before the shooting, most people believed Frank was merely a wealthy gambler with political connections. But the assassination attempt changes everything. Soon, everyone comes to know that Frank is actually the head of a powerful crime syndicate.
The shooting that nearly claimed Frank Costello’s life was orchestrated by none other than Vito—his former best friend. Frank and Vito had grown up together, practically inseparable. They skipped school, loitered around the Alto Knight social clubs, and dreamed big. Like their fathers, who were immigrant miners, both boys were bound to chase the American Dream. To them, America is the land of opportunity, and they were hungry to make something of themselves. They started small, dabbling in petty hustles. However, as Prohibition took hold, they moved into smuggling alcohol, quickly rising through the ranks.
Their operations made them rich and infamous. They formed close ties with ambitious politicians who rode the wave of Prohibition to power, some even becoming their business partners. Vito’s path took a turn when he became involved in a double homicide case. Fearing prison, he fled the country. What was supposed to be a brief exile dragged on for years, extended further by World War II. In Vito’s absence, Frank climbed to the top, ultimately taking over as the boss.
What is the reason behind Vito’s fallout with Frank?
When Vito returned, he expected to reclaim his old position of power, but that wasn’t going to happen. During his time in Italy, Vito had been involved in drug trafficking, and that history cast a long shadow. The organization feared that if Vito took over, he would pull them into the narcotics trade, and sooner or later, they’d all end up behind bars. The laws against drugs were far harsher than those against alcohol or tobacco, and no one wanted to take that risk. Vito saw this rejection as a betrayal. In his eyes, Frank had usurped the position that was rightfully his.
When Frank refused to step down, Vito severed all ties and decided to reclaim his throne by any means necessary. He started his own crew, expanding his gang with the drug trade and smuggling, and violence followed. In one incident, Vito even murdered the ex-husband of his wife, Anna, simply because the man dared to dine at the same restaurant as them.
Like Frank, Vito craved respect. He wanted people to come to him, kiss his ring, and speak his name with reverence. But unlike Frank, Vito’s hunger for validation became an obsession. The constant need to be seen, praised, and feared drove him to do things that his rival and ex-best friend, Frank, would never do. During a family court case, when Anna, Vito’s wife, mentions Frank’s name, that single mention is enough to drag Frank into the mud. This mere mention linked him to a notorious crime boss known to have more illegal businesses than he had fingers.
What happens to Albert Anastasia?
Congress and several senators saw this as the perfect opportunity to bring Frank down. They attempt to charge him with corruption and a range of other illegal activities by tying him to O’Dwyer, a former District Attorney known for turning a blind eye to crimes committed by the Luciano family. During a high-profile hearing, Frank refuses to answer their questions. As a result, he is found in contempt of court and sentenced to 14 months behind bars.
Frank decides he’s done running the crime family and announces his retirement. He says the Commission will decide who takes over. But Vito doesn’t believe him and thinks Frank is hiding something. Eventually, Frank chose Albert Anastasia, a close and trusted associate, to take over. Albert wants to deal with Vito to send a message. But the Commission tells him to stand down. Frank also doesn’t want any revenge against Vito. He even refused to identify Vincent, Vito’s henchman, as his shooter during the court case.
Later, when the District Attorney builds a drug case against Vito and puts Albert on the witness list, Frank tells Albert to leave for Cuba and run operations from there. However, Vito finds out and has Albert killed while he’s getting a shave at a barbershop. This makes Frank realize that Vito is too dangerous to ignore. Sooner or later, he might try to put a bullet in Frank’s head again, but instead of ordering a hit on Vito, Frank takes a different approach.
The Alto Knights (2025) Movie Ending Explained:
How Does Frank Take Care of Vito & His Allies?
He knows that if Vito or his allies find out, they might retaliate and hurt Frank’s family or close friends. On the day when everyone gathers to officially name Vito as the new boss of the Luciano family, Frank tips off the police. He also deliberately delays the meeting by stopping for coffee several times, giving the cops enough time to get to the location and prepare a trap. When the criminals at the gathering notice a police officer taking down license plate numbers, they start running, but backup soon arrives and arrests many of them. This event became a turning point, proving that organized crime had indeed spread across the nation, something FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover had long denied.
After the charges are filed, many members of the organization are arrested and sentenced to decades in prison. Frank is also taken in on tax evasion charges. Before his own arrest, Vito puts his henchman Vincent in charge. To avoid jail time, Vincent pretends to be mentally unwell. He keeps up the act for ten years but is eventually caught, sent to prison, and later dies there. Frank and Vito end up sharing the same prison cell. Over time, they put their differences aside. In 1969, Vito died of heart failure. Frank served his full sentence, was released, and later died of old age.
