Only in the world of cinema can you get away with saying crime pays. The gangster genre has been a fascination for audiences dating back to the advent of cinema itself.

They seem to be going through a bit of a resurgence of late, particularly in European cinema with the recent French epic Mesrine and now this.

Angels of Evil is the true story of Italian crook Renato Vallanzasca, who was the bane of the Italian Police during the 1970's.

Even as a young child Renato (Kim Rossi Stuart) was part of a gang. Whereas most children would grow out of that situation as they got older, Renato thrived on them. But he wasn't content in just being in one, he had to be the leader.

He wasn't your typical gang leader though. Renato was both charming and charismatic, as well as deadly serious when he wanted to be. Despite being very good at what he did, it didn't mean he was always successful. During the seventies, Renato was a veritable yo-yo being in and out of prison so many times. Many of those exits from prison were his own doing, as he managed to escape on various occasions.

Despite all his wrong doings, he was seen by the Italian people as being somewhat of a celebrity. So much so that his incarcerations would inspire women in their hundreds to write to him in prison, often including shapely photos of themselves.

This adulation wouldn't detract from the fact that Renato often ruffled the feathers of criminals and police alike. This meant that there were large numbers of folk, on both sides of the law, keen on putting an end to his criminal reign.

And then I shouted 'house!' I'm telling you, playing bingo is where all the real money is.

Director Michele Placido is no stranger to the gangster film, as he directed the 2005 crime thriller Romanzo Criminale; he's also no stranger to the work of Stuart either, who also starred in that film too.

Placido relishes the challenge of recreating the authentic vibe of the seventies and eighties in Italy. The film is awash in textures and styles of the time, giving his period a credible look and feel.

He also gets a great performance from Stuart too. He most definitely captures the amiable front of his character, as well as his cockiness. The only downside is that much of the other cast simply get lost in his shadow.

There's also always a chance that films about real life criminals end up glamorising their real life counterparts, and this is true of the portrayal of Renato in this film too. He occasionally shows signs of remorse for some of his crimes, but most of the time he is clearly portrayed as the criminal life and soul of the party.

Angels of Evil is a well presented look at a remarkable criminal's life. It may not quite have the weight to carry it for its entire two hour duration, but Placido shows great skill in recreating, and possibly extending, the celebrity of this oh so charming crook.