So Mamet wrote the script? I didn't notice. I was distracted by seeing my former mayor (of Herzliya, Israel) Eli Landau listed as one of the authors of the book. Some people consider him a bit of a hoodlum himself.
Anyway, lore has it that Lansky never got involved in the actual rough stuff. In the movie we see him along for the ride once or twice, but basically he's a pencil-pusher so he's more boring than your average movie gangster. The conflict that we do find him involved in personally is his battle to take advantage of the Law of Return in order to stay in Israel. Unfortunately, though it provides the framework for the film, that conflict is underexploited for drama. Basically, we see Lansky sitting there as his lawyer explains things. There could have been other characters brought in to represent the other side for some real interpersonal confrontations.
Part of the Israeli atmosphere, by the way, consists of continual playing of a variation on the song "Hayu Leilot" ("There Once Were Nights"), by Yaakov Orland and Mordechai Zeira. The song is not mentioned in the credits. Somebody oughta sue.
Anyway, lore has it that Lansky never got involved in the actual rough stuff. In the movie we see him along for the ride once or twice, but basically he's a pencil-pusher so he's more boring than your average movie gangster. The conflict that we do find him involved in personally is his battle to take advantage of the Law of Return in order to stay in Israel. Unfortunately, though it provides the framework for the film, that conflict is underexploited for drama. Basically, we see Lansky sitting there as his lawyer explains things. There could have been other characters brought in to represent the other side for some real interpersonal confrontations.
Part of the Israeli atmosphere, by the way, consists of continual playing of a variation on the song "Hayu Leilot" ("There Once Were Nights"), by Yaakov Orland and Mordechai Zeira. The song is not mentioned in the credits. Somebody oughta sue.