If you loved
The Traitor
Marco Bellocchio · Film · 2019
If you loved The Traitor, you are drawn to the high-stakes friction between personal survival and the brutal, shifting loyalties of organized crime.
Books on the same thread
See how They Run
David McRobbie · Book · 1996
Much like the protagonist of The Traitor, this story captures the suffocating dread of a family forced to flee their life and identity while trapped in a dangerous witness protection scheme.
The Great Alone
Kristin Hannah · Book · 2019
You will find the same intense focus on survival and the volatile nature of family dynamics that defined the life of Tommaso Buscetta in The Traitor, translated here to an unforgiving wilderness.
The Confession: A Novel
John Grisham · Book · 2010
This narrative mirrors the moral weight found in The Traitor, exploring how a sudden, singular decision to speak the truth can disrupt the machinery of justice and alter lives forever.
Beneath a Scarlet Sky
Mark T. Sullivan · Book · 2018
Just as The Traitor portrays the complexities of life in 1980s Italy, this story captures the moral dilemmas and survival instincts required to navigate a dangerous landscape during a time of war.
Series on the same thread
Vincenzo
Series · 2021
This series captures the same global scope and mafia intrigue seen in The Traitor, following a consigliere whose move across continents forces him into a direct collision with power and corruption.
The Sopranos
David Chase · Series · 1999
If the complex psychological portrait of a mobster in The Traitor held your attention, this series offers an even deeper, nuanced exploration of the tension between criminal life and private family burdens.
Godfather of Harlem
Chris Brancato · Series · 2019
This drama mirrors the power struggles in The Traitor, depicting a criminal leader returning to a changed landscape where he must reclaim his territory while navigating intense and deadly rivalries.
Gomorrah
Roberto Saviano · Series · 2014
This series serves as the perfect companion to The Traitor, offering a similarly raw, authentic look at the internal betrayal and power dynamics that define the brutal reality of Italian organized crime.
Podcasts on the same thread
To Live and Die in LA
Tenderfoot TV & Audacy · Podcast · 2023
The investigative intensity found in this podcast echoes the high-stakes procedural atmosphere of The Traitor, showing how one person's quest for answers can expose systemic corruption and carry great personal risk.
S-Town
Serial Productions · Podcast · 2024
While the setting differs, you will recognize the same character-driven focus on someone attempting to dismantle a local status quo, a struggle that mirrors the disruptive choices made by the protagonist in The Traitor.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Traitor based on a true story about the Sicilian Mafia?
Yes, The Traitor depicts the life of Tommaso Buscetta, a member of the criminal organization known as Cosa Nostra. The film follows his experiences during the 1980s Mafia wars in Palermo, Sicily, and his eventual decision to cooperate with Italian authorities.
Does The Traitor follow Tommaso Buscetta's life in Brazil?
The Traitor portrays Tommaso Buscetta's attempt to escape the Sicilian Mafia wars by moving his family to Brazil. The narrative explores the misfortunes he faces there, which eventually force his return to Italy and lead to his decision to change the destiny of Cosa Nostra.
Why does Tommaso Buscetta return to Italy in The Traitor?
In The Traitor, Tommaso Buscetta is forced to return to Italy after experiencing a series of misfortunes while living in Brazil. Upon his return, he makes a bold decision to cooperate with the authorities, which significantly impacts the future of the Cosa Nostra criminal organization.
What time period is depicted in The Traitor?
The Traitor is set in the 1980s. The story begins in Palermo, Sicily, during a period of constant war between different clans of the criminal organization known as Cosa Nostra, before moving to Brazil and eventually returning to Italy for the events that change the organization forever.