A New York mobster movie released (unluckily!) in the shadow of Goodfellas, Phil Joanou’s star-studded, Ennio Morricone–scored gangster epic is an unacknowledged pinnacle of the genre. Gary Oldman’s virtuosic, live-wire turn has been cited by none other than Leonardo DiCaprio as a major influence.

With gripping characterization and dynamic direction, Peter Weir turns a survival tale into a moving reflection on life’s eternal pains. Braving hostile conditions, his international cast brings out the visceral and universal dimensions of a journey that seems at times absurd, but never futile.