Oscar
A repentant mobster's attempt to become a respectable businessman collapses into a whirlwind of mistaken schemes, family crises, and old criminal habits.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- hectic
- cartoonlike
- light comedy night
- retro comedy marathon
What critics said
Critics found the talented cast and occasional laughs appealing, but broadly agreed that the repetitive screenplay and sluggish farce undermined the film.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Angelo Provolone promises his dying father that he will abandon organized crime and become an honest businessman.
Police and associates interpret Angelo's confusing efforts at legality as signs of a hidden master plan.
The film is described as an intermittently amusing throwback to gangster comedies of the 1930s, with stylized movement and costume design.
Angelo's business troubles, criminal henchmen, police suspicion, and Oscar's pregnancy-related crisis overlap in rapid succession.
Films like Oscar, and why
The Freshman
shared screwball farce, gangster-comedy framing, rapid misunderstandings, and ensemble comic performances
Married to the Mob
shared crime-comedy premise, mistaken identities, theatrical pacing, and stylized 1930s-inspired farce
Mickey Blue Eyes
shared screwball rhythm, criminal underworld absurdity, family complications, and broad supporting-character humor
Movie Details
- Director
- John Landis
- Release Date
- 1991-04-26
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (597)
Cast
- Sylvester Stallone
- Marisa Tomei
- Vincent Spano
- Ornella Muti
- Tim Curry
- Peter Riegert
- Chazz Palminteri
- Martin Ferrero
- Harry Shearer
- Kirk Douglas
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Oscar about?
- A repentant mobster's attempt to become a respectable businessman collapses into a whirlwind of mistaken schemes, family crises, and old criminal habits.
- What is Oscar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Oscar as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Oscar violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Oscar as mild.
- What did critics think of Oscar?
- Critics found the talented cast and occasional laughs appealing, but broadly agreed that the repetitive screenplay and sluggish farce undermined the film.
- Which films are like Oscar?
- Films with a similar feel include The Freshman, Married to the Mob, and Mickey Blue Eyes.
- How long is Oscar?
- Oscar runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Oscar?
- In United States, Oscar streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
