This Thing of Ours (2002) Review: A Solid Mafia Drama!

This Thing of Ours, co-written and directed by Danny Provenzano, is a crime drama that mixes old-school Mafia storytelling with the early internet era. Released in 2002, the film takes familiar mob movie elements; crime families, loyalty, betrayal, and power struggles and combines them with the emerging world of cybercrime and electronic banking. The result is a movie that feels both nostalgic and surprisingly ahead of its time, especially when viewed today with internet dominating our day-to-day lives.

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The story follows Nicholas “Nicky” Santini (Danny Provenzano), a young mobster who wants to bring the Mafia into a new age of crime. Instead of relying on traditional rackets, he recruits a computer expert to create software that skims tiny amounts of money from millions of bank transactions. With the support of his powerful uncle Danny, Nicky begins building what could become the biggest heist in mob history. However, as the money starts flowing in and the FBI begins closing in, Nicky finds himself facing difficult choices about loyalty, friendship, and how far he is willing to go to survive in the criminal world.

One of the most enjoyable things about the film is simply how nostalgic it feels. It has been a while since seeing a movie from the early 2000s, and This Thing of Ours immediately brings back that era through its presentation. The color grading, the costumes, the interiors, and even the way the film is shot all feel very specific to that time period. There is something very comfortable about its look and style, especially if you enjoy crime films from that era like Goodfellas, Casino and many more.

The storyline itself is also interesting because it takes a familiar Mafia setup and gives it a more modern twist. Watching a younger generation of mobsters come up with a new way to make money through technology gives the movie a unique angle. It still has all the classic mob movie ingredients, but the focus on computers, satellites, and bank transfers makes it stand out from other Mafia films. At its core, though, the film is still about hard choices and the personal cost of being part of that world.

Another thing that works well is the fact that there really are no “good guys” in the movie. Most of the characters are either outright villainous or morally gray, which feels appropriate for a Mafia story. Nobody is entirely innocent, and that makes the world feel more believable. It also makes the decisions the characters face more interesting because there is no obvious right or wrong side.

The performances across the board are strong. Danny Provenzano, Frank Vincent, James Caan, and Vincent Pastore all feel completely believable in this world. The accents, body language, and mannerisms all add to the film’s sense of authenticity. The production design is another major positive. Despite not being a huge studio production, the movie never feels small. The restaurants, homes, clubs, and meeting spots all feel authentic and lived-in, giving the film a larger scale than expected.

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Overall, This Thing of Ours is a solid Mafia drama with an interesting early-2000s twist. It captures the feel of classic mob cinema while also exploring the changing face of organized crime, making it an enjoyable watch for fans of the genre. You can now watch ‘This Thing of Ours’ on YouTube by playing the video below.

‘This Thing of Ours (2002)’ Rating – 3.5/5