What Is ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards About?
The premise of ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards in 330 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the restless streets of Rome, a specialized riot‑control unit—known as the Celerini—wades through a city where stadiums, protests, evictions and cramped apartments become arenas for an unspoken war. The film paints a stark, almost documentary‑like portrait of a world where law enforcement is both a shield and a sieve, filtering the chaos of ultras, immigrant squatters and rising far‑right groups. The atmosphere is dense with tension, the air heavy with the metallic clang of batons and the muted hum of everyday life that refuses to pause for the badge.
At the heart of the story is Adriano Costantini, a fresh recruit drawn to the force by a lucrative salary that could ease his mother’s precarious situation. Sharing a cramped flat on the brink of eviction, he wrestles with a volatile temper that flares even when force seems unnecessary, a fire fed by personal desperation. Leading the squad is Mazinga, a seasoned veteran whose command is shadowed by a fraught family life; his teenage son drifts toward a neo‑fascist circle, pulling the captain’s authority into a personal conflict that mirrors the city’s own fractures. Negro, another long‑time officer, navigates the heartbreak of a painful divorce and the pain of being barred from his daughter, his resolve tested by the demands of duty versus the longing for family. Finally, Cobra embodies the squad’s fierce loyalty, a man who places his comrades above all else, even as the line between protecting his brothers and upholding the law begins to blur.
Together these four men form a tightly knit, tension‑laden portrait of camaraderie stretched to its limits. Their lives intersect against a backdrop of mounting societal unrest, where each shift in public sentiment reverberates through the precinct’s corridors. The film’s tone is gritty and unflinching, inviting viewers to feel the weight of the uniform, the claustrophobia of cramped living spaces, and the ever‑present question of how far one will go to preserve both honor and survival in a city teetering on the edge.
What Happens in ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards?
The complete story of ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards, from the first scene to the last, in 421 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
The film centers on the daily lives of a group of riot-control police known as the Celerini, patrolling Rome as they carry out the delicate balancing act of “cleansing” stadiums of Ultras, handling public demonstrations, executing evictions, and tending to the everyday drama of family life. The story follows not just the job, but the people behind the badges, showing how their work bleeds into their personal moments, friendships, and loyalties.
Adriano Costantini [Domenico Diele] joins the squad for its high-paying salary, hoping to support his mother. He and his mother share a cramped apartment that’s rapidly becoming uninhabitable after an immigrant family squats the unit, leaving them with nowhere to go. The pressure of finances and housing fuels a volatile temperament in Adriano, who often resorts to force, even when restraint would be wiser, as anger over his mother’s precarious situation gnaws at him.
Mazinga [Marco Giallini], the squad’s seasoned leader, navigates a tense home life as the father of a rebellious teenager who has begun to drift toward a neo-fascist group. The boy’s attitude and beliefs push Mazinga to confront the uneasy intersection of fatherhood, duty, and the political currents swirling around the city. A brutal incident at a stadium—a stabbing during a confrontation—leads Mazinga to suffer a severe injury that paralyzes one leg, triggering a manhunt launched by his own colleagues who fear the consequences of the attack.
Negro [Filippo Nigro] lives under his own heavy weight, facing a painful divorce and the heartbreak of being denied visitation with his daughter. The dissolution of his marriage adds another layer of strain to a man already wrestling with the emotional toll of his demanding job and the violence that often accompanies it.
Cobra [Pierfrancesco Favino], the most devoted member of the team, believes unflinchingly in protecting his “brothers in arms” above all else. He views the work as a sacred duty, yet the line between safeguarding his comrades and upholding the law becomes increasingly blurred. His loyalties—and his own capacity for violence—draw him toward actions that put him on a collision course with accountability, including a trial for beating a football supporter.
As the film follows these four men, their lives begin to unravel against a backdrop of escalating tensions: the police force at odds with the Ultras, immigrants, and rising fascist sentiment. The narrative weaves together the pressures of duty, personal fracture, and the social upheaval simmering beneath the surface of a city under strain, painting a portrait of men trying to find order and humanity amid chaos.
ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Adriano joins the Celerini for a high salary” to “A portrait of order and humanity amid chaos”. 12 events name a place, across 6 locations.
- 1
Adriano joins the Celerini for a high salary
Adriano Costantini signs on with the riot-control squad, attracted by the lucrative pay. He hopes the job will help him support his mother and their cramped apartment. The financial incentive quickly collides with the pressure of family needs and his own short fuse.
Where:Rome
- 2
Cramped apartment and a squat by an immigrant family
Adriano and his mother share a cramped apartment that becomes increasingly unlivable. An immigrant family moves into the unit, leaving them with nowhere to go and heightening tensions at home. The housing squeeze fuels resentment that will color Adriano’s policing later.
Where:Rome
- 3
Mazinga's family life strains under his demanding job
Mazinga, the squad's seasoned leader, navigates a tense home life as the father of a rebellious teenager. His son drifts toward a neo-fascist group, forcing Mazinga to confront the uneasy intersection of duty, family, and politics. The personal and professional pressures begin to collide.
Where:Rome
- 4
Stadium confrontation leads to a brutal stabbing
A confrontation at a stadium turns violent when a stabbing occurs, shocking the team and the city. The incident underscores the volatile clash between police, Ultras, and increasingly tense social tensions. It marks a turning point that tests the squad's discipline and resolve.
Where:Stadium
- 5
Mazinga suffers a paralyzing leg injury
During the aftermath of the stadium attack, Mazinga sustains a severe leg injury that leaves him partly paralyzed. The accident triggers a manhunt within the force as colleagues fear repercussions for their unit. The stakes rise as loyalty and accountability pull in opposite directions.
Where:Stadium/Hospital
- 6
Colleagues launch a manhunt to shield the unit
With the outcome of the attack under scrutiny, fellow officers circle the wagons and begin a manhunt to protect the squad from accountability. The pursuit reveals the pressures of loyalty and the fear of political repercussions within the force. The group dynamic starts to fracture as fear and camaraderie collide.
Where:Police HQ/Rome
- 7
Negro endures a painful divorce and denied visitation
Negro faces personal collapse as his marriage falls apart and he is denied visitation with his daughter. The emotional toll of the job compounds his heartbreak. He navigates partial respite from the force's violence, seeking grounding amid chaos.
Where:Rome
- 8
Cobra’s unwavering loyalty pushes him toward reckless actions
Cobra places his brothers above all else, believing protecting his unit is sacred. His devotion blurs the line between guarding colleagues and upholding the law. Those loyalties begin to pull him toward actions that invite accountability.
Where:On the beat / City
- 9
Cobra faces a trial for beating a football supporter
Cobra's actions culminate in a courtroom confrontation as he faces a trial for beating a football supporter. The case tests the limits of loyalty and the obligations of law enforcement. It exposes the strain between duty to comrades and duty to justice.
Where:Courtroom, Rome
- 10
Rising fascist sentiment and clashes with Ultras and immigrants
Across the city, tensions escalate as the police wrestle with Ultras, immigrant communities, and a rising fascist sentiment. The Celerini struggle to maintain order while their own loyalties and methods are scrutinized. The climate of conflict intensifies and shapes every decision.
Where:Rome
- 11
The four men's lives begin to unravel under pressure
As the strain of duty, personal fractures, and political pressures mount, the relationships and careers of Adriano, Mazinga, Negro, and Cobra begin to fall apart. Each man grapples with the cost of policing in a city that feels increasingly divided. The line between family life and professional duty blurs beyond repair.
Where:Rome
- 12
A portrait of order and humanity amid chaos
The narrative weaves together the four men's struggles as they try to find order and humanity in a city under strain. It underscores loyalty, duty, and the cost of violence on personal lives. The tension-simmering, morally complex world leaves lasting consequences for all involved.
Where:Rome
Who Are the Main Characters in ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards?
4 characters, among them Cobra — Pierfrancesco Favino, Adriano Costantini — Domenico Diele and Mazinga — Marco Giallini: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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Cobra — Pierfrancesco Favino
Played by Pierfrancesco Favino
Cobra is the most devoted member of the group, convinced that protecting his brothers in arms overrides the letter of the law. His unwavering loyalty drives him to take aggressive action when he feels his unit is under threat. As pressure mounts, his restraint frays and morality becomes increasingly flexible.
- 🛡️ Loyalty
- ⚔️ Violence
- 🧭 Duty
- 👮 Police
- AC
Adriano Costantini — Domenico Diele
Played by Domenico Diele
Adriano has joined the squad for a high-paying salary to support his mother, but the cramped apartment and immigrant family squatting the unit push him toward volatility. Financial desperation fuels a quick temper and a willingness to rely on force. His personal hardship bleeds into his professional decisions.
- 💼 Ambition
- 💸 Economic Pressure
- 🏠 Family
- 🥊 Violence
- M—
Mazinga — Marco Giallini
Played by Marco Giallini
Mazinga is the seasoned leader torn between duty and fatherhood, whose rebellious teenage son drifts toward a neo-fascist group. The stadium stabbing injures him, forcing a reckoning as colleagues mount a manhunt to avoid consequences. His authority is tested by physical injury and political undercurrents.
- 🛡️ Leadership
- 👨👦 Family
- 🩸 Injury
- ⚖️ Accountability
- N—
Negro — Filippo Nigro
Played by Filippo Nigro
Negro carries the weight of a painful divorce and denied visitation with his daughter, compounding the emotional toll of a demanding job. He grapples with personal heartbreak while facing the violence inherent in police work. The strain strains his ability to balance authority with empathy.
- 💔 Divorce
- 👨👧 Family
- 🥊 Violence
- ⚖️ Justice
Where and When Is ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards Set?
ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards is set in Rome and Italy (Early 2010s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
Early 2010s
Set in contemporary Rome, the film situates the Celerini amid a climate of political tension and rising nationalist sentiment. Public demonstrations, football clashes, and aggressive policing reflect a society on edge. The period's economic pressures amplify personal sacrifices and the volatility of the squad members.
Where
Rome, Italy
The story unfolds in Rome, where crowded stadiums, tense demonstrations, and daily policing intersect. The setting emphasizes an urban environment where immigrant housing disputes and social strain press on families. It highlights the contrasts between public authority and private life in a city under strain.
- 🏙️ Rome
- 🚔 Police operations
- 🏟 Stadiums
- 🌍 Italy
What Are the Themes of ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Duty, Authority and Family.
-
01
Duty
The film probes the idea of duty as more than a job: it questions whether protecting comrades justifies crossing ethical boundaries. The Celerini's loyalty to one another often blurs with a hunger for control, leading to morally ambiguous choices. Duty here is tested by violence, corruption, and the cost to personal integrity. The men must decide where loyalty ends and accountability begins.
-
02
Authority
Authority is shown as a system that can shelter or unleash brutality. Police power collides with political currents, immigrant tensions, and a fascist undercurrent in the city. The film exposes how institutions shape, and sometimes fail, the people who enforce them. The line between enforcement and oppression becomes dangerously thin.
-
03
Family
Family life presses in on the men: Adriano's struggle to support his mother, Mazinga's troubled relationship with his teenage daughter, and the fear of home becoming unstable due to housing crises. The drama at home mirrors the violence at work, showing how personal commitments push or pull them toward or away from restraint. Home becomes a testing ground for values under pressure.
-
04
Loyalty
Loyalty among the squad is both their bond and their potential downfall. The movie tracks how trust among colleagues can shield violent impulses or nurture accountability, depending on choices under stress. Betrayals or solidarities emerge as the city teeters between order and chaos. Loyalty is a double-edged sword that defines—or dooms—their futures.
What Kind of Film Is ACAB : All Cops Are Bastards?
Tense in tone, with steady pacing and a moderate story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Moderate
- Intensity
- High
A grim and tense police drama that follows the fractured personal lives of riot squad members, set against a backdrop of social decay and moral ambiguity, creating an atmosphere of constant pressure and conflict.
- gritty
- tense
- oppressive
- angry
- fractured
- morally conflicted
- police brutality
- systemic corruption
- personal crisis
- neo-fascism
Content notes: police brutality, stabbing, fascist ideology, domestic strife.
Quiz
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