The Brothers Rico

A minor noir about the ways in which family can be an albatross around your neck, The Brothers Rico is unremarkable if solid. Eddie (Richard Conte) is living the straight life in Miami when his brothers’ presence causes him to get pulled back into the criminal underworld. Much like Michael Corleone but without the operatic grandeur, Eddie is once again pulled back into the life. Hired by his former boss to warn his brothers about a bounty placed on their heads, Eddie zips across various locales for his brothers and unspools the central mystery as he goes along. There are double-crosses and shocking twists, Italian stereotypes abound, and a strong showing from Conte to recommend, but Karlson directs with a flat style that deflates everything. Where’s the pizzazz? Film is a visual medium and noir is a genre known for its embellishments, and The Brothers Rico is sadly lacking in that department. Its workman-like as a thriller, but mediocre as a noir.