The Ruthless

The Ruthless

In Milan, the thirstiest wins.

Directed by Renato De Maria

Produced by BiBi Film, Indie Prod

2019111 min6.3 / 10

A gritty chronicle of a Calabrian immigrant's descent into organized crime across three decades of Italian drug trafficking and violence.

Milan, Italy, 1967. Santo Russo, a boy of Calabrian origin, arrives north with his parents and younger brother to find better living conditions. Due to an absurd misunderstanding and his father's contempt, Santo ends up in prison, where he gets a “true education.” In 1978, he and his friends Slim and Mario embark on a 15-year criminal career, a successful and ruthless spiral of robberies, kidnappings, murders and heroin smuggling.

Where to watch

Not available in United States — it streams in other countries.

Questions people ask

  • Is The Ruthless one of a kind? No. Less singular than 96% of films.

  • Is The Ruthless violent? Yes, very. More violent than 95% of films.

  • Does The Ruthless end with hope? Barely. Less hopeful than 83% of films.

  • Is The Ruthless scary? Yes. More frightening than 82% of films.

  • Is The Ruthless easy watching? Not especially. Less comforting than 74% of films.

  • Is The Ruthless sad? Somewhat. More sad than 70% of films.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

21/ 100

Cinnamon Score

How much this film gives you that nothing else will, and whether it delivers.

Conventional, and it does not land.

Rarity7

How unlike any other film this one feels

Surprise28

How much more it delivers than it promises

Love35

How much audiences actually like it

The highest scores in the catalogue →

Ensemble

Everything like The Ruthless, and what each one shares →

Like The Ruthless

Nearest across the full emotional profile.

Same Mood as The Ruthless

Nearest on what's most distinctive about this one.

Like The Ruthless, But Darker

Similar, pushed toward heavier and more intense.

Like The Ruthless, But Lighter

Similar, pushed toward warmer and easier.

Like The Ruthless, But Less Popular

Same territory, far fewer people have seen it.

Share thisXBlueskyReddit