When Luc Besson decided to adapt Tonino Benacquista’s novel Malavita for the big screen, he didn't just need actors. He needed icons. The 2013 film, released in the US as The Family, lives or dies on the chemistry of its central quartet. You’ve got a legendary mob movie veteran, a versatile leading lady, and two rising stars tasked with playing the "Manzonis"—a Brooklyn crime family relocated to Normandy under the witness protection program. Honestly, the cast of the movie The Family is what prevents the flick from becoming just another disposable dark comedy. It's the weight of their collective filmography that makes the fish-out-of-water tropes feel grounded.
People often forget how weird this movie is. It’s a French-American co-production, executive produced by Martin Scorsese, about a mobster who starts writing his memoirs while his kids beat up French teenagers. It shouldn't work. But it does, mostly because Robert De Niro isn't just playing "a mobster." He's playing a meta-version of every character he made famous in the 70s and 90s.
The Heavyweight: Robert De Niro as Giovanni Manzoni
Robert De Niro plays Giovanni Manzoni, though the character goes by "Fred Blake" for most of the film. It's a role that requires a weird mix of genuine menace and suburban frustration. If you look at the cast of the movie The Family, De Niro is the gravitational center. He was 70 years old when this came out. By then, he’d already parodied his tough-guy persona in Analyze This, but The Family asks him to be a bit more lethal.
One of the best scenes—and a total wink to the audience—is when Fred is invited to a film club discussion. They are supposed to watch Some Like It Hot, but due to a projectionist error, they end up watching Goodfellas. Seeing De Niro watch his younger self on screen while playing a character who is actually a mobster in hiding is layers deep in irony. De Niro doesn’t sleepwalk through this. He brings a specific, twitchy energy to a man who just wants a decent steak and a plumbing system that doesn't produce brown water.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Underrated Intensity
Michelle Pfeiffer plays Maggie Manzoni, the matriarch. She is arguably the most dangerous person in the house. While Fred is trying to blend in, Maggie is literally blowing up a grocery store because the clerk made a snide comment about Americans. It's a great performance. Pfeiffer hasn't always had the chance to play "unhinged," but here she leans into the protective, fierce, and slightly bored housewife role with incredible precision.
The chemistry between her and De Niro feels lived-in. They had previously appeared in Stardust and New Year's Eve, but this was the first time they truly played opposite each other as a couple. It’s the subtle stuff that sticks. The way they share a meal or navigate the absurdity of French village life feels authentic to a couple that has spent decades looking over their shoulders.
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The Kids: Dianna Agron and John D'Leo
You can't talk about the cast of the movie The Family without looking at the younger generation. Dianna Agron, fresh off her massive success in Glee, plays Belle Manzoni. She’s lethal. Most people expected her to be the "pretty daughter" archetype, but Besson gives her some of the most violent scenes in the film. She uses a tennis racket in ways you wouldn't expect. Agron’s performance is chilly and calculated, a far cry from Quinn Fabray.
Then there’s John D'Leo as Warren. He's the youngest, but he’s basically a mini-Don in training. Within a week of arriving at his new school, he has established a bribery and extortion ring. D'Leo had previously appeared in The Wrestler and Brooklyn's Finest, but this was his breakout role. He matches the energy of his veteran co-stars remarkably well. He doesn't play Warren as a "tough kid"; he plays him as a professional who happens to be fourteen.
Tommy Lee Jones: The Straight Man
If the Manzonis are the chaos, Robert Stansfield is the order. Played by Tommy Lee Jones, Stansfield is the weary FBI agent tasked with keeping this family alive. It’s the quintessential Tommy Lee Jones role. He’s grumpy. He’s tired. He’s perpetually annoyed by Giovanni’s inability to stay low-profile.
Jones provides the necessary friction. Without his character, the movie would just be a family of sociopaths running wild in France. His presence reminds the audience that there are real stakes. The mob is actually looking for them. People actually die. Jones and De Niro have a shorthand that feels like two old professionals who have been playing this game of cat-and-mouse for far too long.
The Supporting Players and Cameos
The cast extends into the French local scene and the ominous "Family" back in the States. You’ll notice Jimmy Palumbo as Di Cicco and Domenick Lombardozzi as Caputo—the two agents working under Jones. Lombardozzi, in particular, is a face you’ll recognize if you’ve seen The Wire or The Irishman. He’s a staple in crime dramas, and his presence adds a layer of genre legitimacy to the production.
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On the villainous side, we have Stan Carp as Don Mimino, the vengeful mob boss who is rotting in prison while trying to coordinate the Manzoni hit. The film does a great job of contrasting the sunny, slightly washed-out look of Normandy with the dark, gritty interiors of the American prison system where the hit is being planned.
Production Context and Luc Besson’s Influence
Besson is known for his kinetic, often polarizing style. Think Léon: The Professional or The Fifth Element. With the cast of the movie The Family, he took a more disciplined approach than usual, though his signature "cartoonish" violence still bleeds through. Having Martin Scorsese as an executive producer wasn't just a marketing gimmick; Scorsese reportedly consulted on the script and helped shape the tone to ensure it didn't lean too far into slapstick.
The film was shot primarily in Normandy and at the Cité du Cinéma in Saint-Denis. The location is a character itself. The clash between the rugged, traditionalist French locals and the brash, violent New Yorkers is the engine of the plot. The casting of the local French actors, like Vincent Pastore (another Sopranos alum) in a brief but memorable appearance, helps bridge the gap between the two worlds.
Why People Still Search for This Cast
The movie wasn't a massive critical darling, but it has developed a significant following on streaming platforms. Why? Because it’s rare to see this level of talent in a mid-budget dark comedy. Usually, these scripts go to B-list actors or are dumped on VOD. Seeing De Niro and Pfeiffer at this stage of their careers, clearly having fun with their "tough" legacies, is genuinely entertaining.
There’s also the "Belle" factor. Dianna Agron fans still point to this as one of her best film roles. She managed to break the "Glee" mold here, showing a physical and emotional range that surprised people who only knew her as a singing cheerleader.
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Common Misconceptions About the Cast
A lot of people think The Family is a sequel to something else, or that it’s part of the Analyze This universe. It isn't. It’s a completely standalone story based on the book Malavita. Another common mistake is forgetting that the movie was released under two different titles. If you’re in Europe, you might know it as Malavita. In the States and other markets, it’s The Family. The cast is the same, obviously, but the marketing was vastly different.
Some viewers also get confused about the timeline. Given De Niro's age, people often try to slot this into a "retirement" phase of his career. However, he followed this with a massive string of hits and experimental roles, including his later collaboration with Scorsese in The Irishman. This movie was more of a detour into a specific kind of European dark humor.
How to Appreciate the Performances Better
To get the most out of watching the cast of the movie The Family, you really need to look at the parallels between the characters and the actors' real-life histories.
- Watch for the Meta-Humor: When De Niro’s character struggles to explain "the life" to the French locals, he’s essentially explaining his own filmography.
- Focus on the Background: The agents watching the family (Lombardozzi and Palumbo) represent the "boring" side of law enforcement, a stark contrast to the high-stakes drama of the Manzonis.
- Pay Attention to Tone Shifts: Notice how the acting shifts from comedic to deadly serious in the final act. The transition is jarring, but the cast handles it by leaning into the "mafia" reality of their situation.
Practical Viewing Steps
- Check Your Titles: Ensure you’re looking for The Family (2013) and not the various TV shows or horror movies with the same name.
- Look for the Unrated Cut: If you want the full experience of the violence and dialogue, the unrated version provides a bit more "Besson-style" grit.
- Compare with the Source Material: If you’re a fan of the performances, Tonino Benacquista’s book offers a much deeper look into Giovanni’s psyche that even De Niro couldn't fit into a two-hour runtime.
The enduring appeal of this ensemble lies in their ability to play against expectation. You expect De Niro to be the boss, but he’s often the one getting played by his wife or outsmarted by his kids. You expect Pfeiffer to be the victim of the mob life, but she’s its most enthusiastic participant. That subversion is exactly why the cast of the movie The Family remains a topic of conversation for fans of the genre.