Smokin’ Aces

Introduction:

The film involves an intricate plot to kill Las Vegas showman and mafia wannabe Buddy “Aces” Israel (Piven), in part because he is considered the FBI’s key witness to bringing down some of the final vestiges of La Cosa Nostra in the U.S., and because he has effectively split the family of Don Primo Sparazza into two competing factions. With his health failing, Sparazza puts a $1 million bounty on Israel and included a demand for Israel’s heart. Two of Sparazza’s crew, Underboss Sidney Serna and Capo Victor Padich conspire to hire a cadre of assassins to take care of the Buddy Israel problem, collect on the $1 million bounty themselves, and make a play to take control of the family from the ailing Sparazza. Being the key to the Justice Department’s case against La Cosa Nosta, the FBI is intent on keeping Israel alive.