The Traitor

Parents need to know that The Traitor -- original title Il traditore -- is an Italian (with English subtitles) drama, about a Mafia boss turned informant, with bloody violence and murder throughout. Characters are gunned down, strangled, beaten, and blown up by car bombs. Tommaso Buscetta (Pierfrancesco Favino) is the mafia boss who, after the death of his two sons, turns on his fellow crime bosses. A deciding factor in his decision is when his wife is dangled from a helicopter above the sea by police who make Buscetta watch. In another of a the more brutal acts of violence, a character has his arm chopped off before being shot in the chest. Due to their criminal ties, all the main characters show deplorable traits in their bid for power and money. There are some sex scenes, which, although brief, do feature some nudity -- breasts and buttocks. A male defendant also strips naked while in court and another is seen naked in his cell -- their penises are visible on both occasions. There is frequent profanity including variants of "f--k" and "s--t." Buscetta is depicted as a heavy smoker and there are many examples of other characters smoking -- both cigarettes and cigars. Characters also drink throughout but there is no specific depiction of drunkenness. Buscetta's son is a heroin addict and in one scene, after taking the drug (off screen) is hit repeatedly by his father. An interesting -- albeit with no positive takes -- insight into the world of the Cosa Nostra.