Yet another mob movie from Echelon Studios, “The Life I Lived” is an attempt at reconciling the story of a father with the story of his son and the downhill slide that was a life of crime for both of them. If this sounds like “The Godfather” television epic, then you’d be dead on. Except this is much more of a stripped down, low budget version with a barely ninety minute feature that chronicles the life of an old mobster Bill Cacchiotti who is watching his son be sucked into a life of crime. He chooses to lecture his son and attempt to dissuade him from the profession, in spite of the fact that he’s far from anything resembling a good person. I really wanted to give “The Life I Lived” a fair shake, but it’s just not a very good movie, when all was said and done. While the premise has the potential for compelling material, it fails to muster up any originality in the entire short running time.

He jumps from character to character, handing us flashbacks within flashbacks, and all for a story that should have had a longer format, to begin with. The story of mob boss Cacchiotti also leaves so much to be desired as his seduction into crime and inevitable murder are lacking of any tension or urgency, and we’re never fully explained whether this was once a good man who became a corrupt monster, or just a bad guy who became worse thanks to his introduction into organized crime. The performances can often range from mediocre to just plain wooden, with most of the cast displaying an inherent inability to deliver Solenberger’s dialogue with a hint that they understand what they’re saying. Richard Bennett in particular doesn’t quite rise to the challenge of carrying this film on his shoulders. As Cacchiotti, he seems bored, and more so than the cast. “The Life I Lived” has possibilities, but damned if it ever makes good with its promises.

It's all basically just a redux of "The Godfather" and "The Godfather II," with a hint of "The Sopranos," and none of the charm or skill behind it. While the very low budget is noted and taken into account, it doesn't excuse the poor performances and derivative concept.

• For more information on "The Life I Lived," visit the official website.