Boardwalk Empire

2010

Seasons & Episodes

  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0

8.6| 0h30m| TV-MA| en
Synopsis

Atlantic City at the dawn of Prohibition is a place where the rules don't apply. And the man who runs things -- legally and otherwise -- is the town's treasurer, Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, who is equal parts politician and gangster.

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Reviews

AniInterview Sorry, this movie sucks
ShangLuda Admirable film.
Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
Logan By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
mrryanscott-15530 This show is beautifully shot, beautifully acted, Steve Buscemi gives the TV performance of his career in this. It's really well written. The supporting cast is also awesome with Michael Shannon standing out as a federal agent on the edge of madness. I can't see a single fault in this show other than the ending was way too truncated and came way too soon. The sets, costumes, absolutely everything was stunning in this show. A true masterpiece. Up there with Deadwood in my book.
green_kerry Could not stop watching it, it's totally awesome. The characters brilliant and the storyline both gripping and realistic. The cinematography is totally authentic, creating a believable depiction of prohibition America. Well worth watching and the 10 Star rating
graupepillard I regret to say I have finally finished watching "epic" television in the five seasons (56 hours) of BOARDWALK EMPIRE. The scope of history - from the adoption of the 18th Amendment's prohibiting the making, transporting, and selling of alcoholic beverages passed in 1919 through its repeal in 1933, and how it generated an industry run by criminals - names of gangster's that are still familiar to us, their brutality romanticized over time in film and television; Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Al Capone, Arnold Rothstein, etc. set against the backdrop of Atlantic City with satellite locations in NYC, Chicago and Miami.The history of race relations, women's rights, workers rights, corrupt public servants and rigged elections are woven through the plot as broken, disillusioned soldiers return home from fighting in WW I; Presidential elections come and go as the nation slides into dissolution and the chaos of financial ruin. Names that are familiar to us such as J. Edgar Hoover, Eddie Cantor, Joe Kennedy (father of Jack) are characterized but not caricatured by a wonderful cast. When one great actor gets written out of the series, and I feel a deep disappointment, another one appears and gives an equally compelling performance.Ambition, greed, sex, love and marriage - the range of uniquely varied personal interactions propels the plot into new directions as we witness the ebb and flow of time on a character's persona.There is an authenticity to the sense of place - from the shacks in the "negro" part of town to the lavishly decorated mansions of the power-brokers - each set design has intricate details that help delineate an accurate, sociological study of southern NJ coastal towns.The cinematography is often exquisitely breathtaking, such as choreographed scenes of violence in the darkened light of night; the infinite expanse of water touching the Atlantic City shoreline with bursts of gunfire spawning fireworks of sharp white flashes, a resounding thunder of sound and visual effects, and then the quiet of death, red blood slowly puddling on the ground.BOARDWALK EMPIRE has a superb cast: doe-eyed Steve Buscemi in the role of his life portraying Nucky Thompson - the "overlord" of Atlantic City - a man who "tried to be good" but reached for more and more money to maintain the lifestyle that he envied as a child, and eventually achieves at a terrible cost; Bobby Cannavale - great as the clinically insane gangster Gyp Rosetti whose id is let loose in horrific acts of violence; Michael K. Williams is heartbreaking - hard and pragmatic in business with a poetic, "romantic" side as "Chalky White" the son of a carpenter who was lynched by the very white men he was building cabinets for - Chalky runs the black part of town and teams up with Nucky in the bootlegging business; Jeffrey Wright as Dr. Valentin Narcisse, a disciple of Marcus Garvey whose actions belie his philosophical beliefs; the always terrific Michael Shannon as a fanatically religious federal Agent who loses his way; Stephen Graham as the explosive, vicious mobster, Al Capone; Kelly Macdonald as Margaret Thompson married to Nucky whose beauty blossoms while her innocence fades away; Gretchen Mol- a tragic figure as Gillian Darmody mother and lover of her son Jimmy played by Michael Pitt - a tragic tale of a woman who had to face life alone as a child battling sexual abuse among other acts that vulnerable children with no protectors are forced to endure; and a personal favorite Jack Huston-grandson of great director John Huston who comes home from the War with half his face blown off - hidden behind a mask - a complicated person whose sharp-shooting skills are put to use by the mob, but whose goodness prevails - if anyone takes the time to "look" at him. I encourage you to take the time to view this series - it is true to the historical figures which are intertwined into this grand tale of the Prohibition era - post WWI up to pre WWII where money and power contaminated those who were supposed to be the guardians of the populace. Relationships between family members, husbands and wives, fathers and sons, sisters and brothers are all impacted by the vicissitudes of an age that tried to stamp down profligate behavior and ironically encouraged a much deeper amorality.
ma-cortes Atlantic City, 1920, when alcohol was outlawed , outlaws became kings. There a politician plays both sides of the law, conspiring with gangsters during the Prohibition era . Enoch "Nucky" Thompson (Steve Buscemi) controls the monies coming into the city from its many legal enterprises, as well as an assortment of illegal ones , including the majority of the illicit alcohol that comes into Atlantic City's port and is distributed up the east coast and into Chicago . Nucky is one of the richest men in Atlantic City, where he lives with his lover , a former burlesque dancer , in the penthouse suite of the Ritz Carlton on the Boardwalk . His wife died young, leaving him childless and a strange attraction that has sprung up between himself and a married Irish immigrant (Kelly MacDonald) threatens more than just his domestic tranquility . As his bootlegging business takes off , Nucky finds himself hard pressed to keep control over the empire he has built and the ties he has forged along the way .This is a very good series about mobsters and with plenty of intrigue , drama , magnificent production design and over-the-top performances . The series was lavishly produced by great producers/directors such as Martin Scorsese , Mark Wahlberg and Timothy Van Patten ; being originally created by Terence Winter . The main cast gives a nice acting such as Steve Buscemi as corrupt treasurer of Atlantic County and its most powerful political figure and Kelly Macdonald as Margaret as an Irish immigrant who holds an abusive relationship with her husband , she is the mother of two children but soon becomes a widow and someone in whom Nucky Thompson, takes an interest . Other important roles are the followings : Michael Shannon as Nelson Van Alden , he is a senior agent in the Bureau of Prohibition Department , he is deeply religious has a dark side of his own, including lashing himself as punishment for misdeeds . Shea Whigham as "Eli" Thompson, he is the younger brother of Nucky Thompson, is the sheriff but is meant to do as his brother says, both because he has no choice and because Nucky helps provide care of Eli's wife and eight children , Eli quietly resents his brother's power and influence, sometimes daring to challenge his brother's authority . Gretchen Moll as Gillian Darmody , she is the mother of Jimmy Darmody, Michael Pitt , who she had at a very young age after being raped by The Commodore Louis Kaestner when she was 13 , then-Sheriff Nucky Thompson brought her to him , she raised Jimmy on her own , Gillian went on to become a burlesque dancer at the Cafe Beaux Arts and eventually would run a brothel , her relationship with and protectiveness of Jimmy borders on odd and disturbing and reaches one particularly uncomfortable moment before he goes off to fight in World War I . Michael Kenneth Williams as Chalky White , he is the leader and primary caretaker of the black population of Atlantic City , he is the Nucky Thompson of the black community . Jack Huston as Richard Harrow , he is a former Army sniper whose face was severely disfigured in World War I , he wears a mask attached to a pair of glasses that is designed to match his skin tone and cover up the fact that much of the left side of his face is torn.There is also a deep description about gangster fights though the narration is about his early years . As Lucky Luciano , Vincent Piazza , Lucky is one of the bosses of the Mafia and leader of Cosa Nostra , and soon became a chief in the Reina Family during the height of the Castellammarese War . Then takes place a Mafian War between Salvatore Maranzano, who eventually defeated the faction headed by rival Joseph Masseria . After Masseria's murder , this position was short-lived, as Maranzano himself was murdered in 1931 . Then , the family is headed by Charles "Lucky" Luciano , eventually known as the Genovese Family. He orders the slaughter of 40 other responsible , a famous massacre nicknamed Sicilian Vespers , therefore becoming the only boss . Meyer Lansky , nicely played by Anatol Yusef , was lifelong friends with Charles "Lucky" Luciano and Bugsy Siegel . Together, their involvement in and influence on the Italian American Mafia is historically notable . Beginning with the violent Bug and Meyer Prohibition mob, Lansky was completely authentic organized crime . Together with Luciano and Siegel began organized crime establishment of and involvement in Las Vegas gambling beginning with the Flamingo . And of course , Al Capone , magnetically played by Stephen Graham . Capone's rise in Chicago Gangdom is strongly carried out by means of violence and murder , subsequently took place his fall . Torrio accompanied to Capone are going to Chicago but he is called by his uncle Jim Colosimo . He's murdered and Torrio rules over as Chicago's crime boss , but during his violent confrontation to Dion O'Bannion he decided Capone managed the business . He becomes head of Chicago's biggest "business," and followed through killing corruption , extortion, and political fraud. Capone running his crime empire until FBI agents and police worked to send the crime boss to prison. Al Capone's been convicted of tax evasion, but the law states that he can only be confined to a regular jail cell