Having seen the trailer on TV for this latest Sam Spadacci film, I knew I was in for something a little different! The main 1 of the film deals with the fall and eventual rise of Frankie Longo, played by the new Hollywood superstar Larry Zardini. The 2, which has some brilliant one-liners, was written by Spadacci's old associate, Matt Dusi.

Everything starts off fairly predictably — a young Italo-American kid, mixed up with the local Mafia — it seems to be the usual study of Spadacci's own roots. But then, after going in and out of jail for a couple of years, Frankie 'gets cuisine' and suddenly discovers he's a marvellous cook! Some 3 are a little slow-moving as we 4 on Frank's culinary prowess — did we really need to spend five minutes of the film watching Frank's perfect soufflé rising in the oven?

Soon Frankie is cooking for the rich and famous, including the Mafia big cheese Joe d'Ancona — a wonderfully over the top 5 by veteran Bruno Marmo — and eventually the President! Inevitably, in spite of his efforts to go straight, Frankie is caught up in a secret 6 to assassinate the President. Without giving too much away, Frankie apparently goes along with the Mafia while really sabotaging things. There are some crazy 7, including gangsters exploding out of a giant birthday cake! The 8 maintains the almost slapstick feel with a manic tempo at times.