THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK

Woke up this morning, watched myself a film.

Yes, 14 years after HBO’s groundbreaking drama series “The Sopranos” aired its final episode — controversial to this day — its movie prequel “The Many Saints of Newark” has hit theaters and HBO Max.

Written by genius “Sopranos” creator David Chase and directed by series stalwart Alan Taylor, the “Saints” had a tall order. The film needed to complement what even a Himalayan hermit could tell you was the show that changed television forever. It does. The tale of how Tony Soprano’s early life led him to become the boss of the DiMeo crime family in New Jersey is smart, entertaining and brutal.

The blood-soaked movie starts during the Newark race riots of 1967 and mostly follows Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), the father of Christopher (Michael Imperioli narrates a bit) and favorite uncle of Tony (first William Ludwig, then Michael Gandolfini), as his city and the Mafia are dragged kicking and shooting into the modern world.

There is a moment in which the young Gandolfini (playing the character his dad originated) proves his gravitas when we sense that a kid who could’ve taken a very different path — artist, writer, scientist — chooses a life of crime instead. The audience deservedly applauds it, if not the entire movie.

No matter your nitpicks, though, you can sleep well knowing that “The Many Saints of Newark” does not end with the song “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Running time: 120 minutes. Rated R (strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content and some nudity). In theaters and on HBO Max.