Mafia Mamma: release date, reviews, cast and everything we know about the Toni Collette movie

Toni Collette in Mafia Mamma
Toni Collette in Mafia Mamma (Image credit: Bleecker Street)

The mafia has been the subject of many classic movies, from The Godfather trilogy to Goodfellas to American Gangster and more. That's the case once again with the Toni Collette movie, Mafia Mamma.

A new 2023 movie, Mafia Mamma is a comedy that sees the acclaimed actress Collette, as the movie's tagline reads, go "from suburban mom to mafia don." But how does that happen, who stars alongside Collette and when can you watch Mafia Mamma? We've got everything you need to know about the movie right here.

Mafia Mamma release date

Mafia Mamma is now playing exclusively in movie theaters. Find out if and where it is playing near you by checking out Fandango

It joins a slate of new movies for that week that include the Nicolas Cage Dracula movie Renfield and the Russell Crowe horror movie The Pope's Exorcist.

Mafia Mamma plot

A classic fish-out-of-water setup, here is the official synopsis for Mafia Mamma:

"While seeing to her long estranged (and now deceased) grandfather's affairs in Italy, a mild mannered suburban mom, unexpectedly inherits his mafia empire and finds herself stuck in the middle of a deadly mob war. Guided by the firm's trusted consigliere, she hilariously defies everyone's expectations, including her own, as the new head of the family business."

Mafia Mamma was written by J. Michael Feldman and Debbie Jhoon from an original story by Amanda Sthers.

Mafia Mamma trailer

Toni Collette looks like a delight in this movie as she tries to get a grasp of what she has gotten herself into with her new "family":

Mafia Mamma cast

Starring as Kristin in the comedy, Collette has continuously proved herself to be quite the versatile actress, with roles in movies ranging from The Sixth Sense (for which she was Oscar-nominated) to Little Miss Sunshine to Knives Out and back to horror with Hereditary. Most recently, viewers will have seen her in the crime drama The Staircase, the Netflix series Pieces of Her and the Prime Video original The Power.

Alongside Collette is Monica Bellucci, who plays the Balbano family consigliere, Bianca. The Italian actress is best known to audiences all over the world for her roles in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, as well as the James Bond movie Spectre. She also has memorably appeared as herself in Twin Peaks and Call My Agent.

Other members of the cast, per IMDb, include Sophia Nomvete (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power), Alessandro Bressanello (The Hand of God), Eduardo Scarpetta (The Law According to Lidia Poet) and Tommy Rodger (Shadow and Bone).

Mafia Mamma reviews — what the critics are saying

Mafia Mamma does not have the goods, according to critics, as the movie has a "Rotten" 23% score on Rotten Tomatoes

How long is Mafia Mamma?

The runtime for Mafia Mamma is one hours and 41 minutes.

What is Mafia Mamma rated?

Mafia Mamma has an R rating in the US for "bloody violence, sexual content and language."

Mafia Mamma director

The director of Mafia Mamma is Catherine Hardwicke. After making her debut with the movie Thirteen, Hardwicke has directed movies that include Lords of Dogtown, The Nativity Story and  the first Twilight movie, as well as episodes of TV shows, including This Is Us

Mafia Mamma poster

(Image credit: Bleecker Street)
Michael Balderston

Michael Balderston is a DC-based entertainment and assistant managing editor for What to Watch, who has previously written about the TV and movies with TV Technology, Awards Circuit and regional publications. Spending most of his time watching new movies at the theater or classics on TCM, some of Michael's favorite movies include Casablanca, Moulin Rouge!, Silence of the Lambs, Children of Men, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest and Star Wars. On the TV side he enjoys Only Murders in the Building, Yellowstone, The Boys, Game of Thrones and is always up for a Seinfeld rerun. Follow on Letterboxd.