What Movies Did The Sopranos' Michael Imperioli Write & Which Ones Were Hits?

These days, Michael Imperioli is regarded as a bit of a Renaissance man in Hollywood circles, making rounds as a musician, podcast host, and low-key Instagram star. He is, of course, best known as an Emmy-winning actor who's earned raves for his work in the lauded films "Goodfellas," "Bad Boys," and "One Night in Miami..." among others, as well as series like "Law & Order," "Watchmen," and most recently, Season 2 of "The White Lotus."

Of Imperioli's 104 screen credits, it's safe to say "The Sopranos" remains the most legit of his career calling cards, with the actor portraying the oft-troubled Christopher Moltisanti for the bulk of the series' iconic small-screen run. You may not realize it, but Imperioli actually co-wrote five episodes of the legendary gangster drama between Seasons 2 and 5. You may be even more surprised to learn he's earned writing credits on a pair of other projects over the years. Those titles include Spike Lee's divisive 1999 thriller, "Summer of Sam," and the 2009 family drama "The Hungry Ghosts."

You might be forgiven for not knowing the latter film, as the indie flick didn't see much of a release beyond the festival circuit. Though the former failed to set the box office ablaze and hardly satisfied the critical set, it was very much a film of note upon release, and it remains the biggest hit among Imperioli's writing credits. And in case you haven't seen it, it's a pretty solid little thriller to boot.

Upon release, Michael Imperioli's "The Hungry Ghosts" — which serves as his first and only directorial effort to date — fared even worse with critics than "Summer of Sam" did, though its 60% fresh audience score on Rotten Tomatoes proves everyday moviegoers have found a little more to like in the film. As for "Summer of Sam," audiences were kinder to the underrated Spike Lee joint than critics were as well, helping it match the 60% fresh rating bestowed upon "The Hungry Ghosts."

As for Imperioli's work on the "Summer of Sam" script, he actually co-wrote it with Lee and fellow actor Victor Colicchio. The film was hardly Imperioli's first collaboration with Lee, whom he'd worked for in several films prior, including "Jungle Fever" (1991), "Malcolm X" (1992), "Clockers" (1995), and "Girl 6" (1996). Imperioli also appears briefly in "Summer of Sam" but largely keeps his talents focused behind the camera, helping his co-writers conjure a kinetic, ambitiously over-the-top screenplay about the various ways unchecked fear can paralyze and consume even a close-knit community.

For his part, Lee uses that setup to craft a deeply paranoid, wildly stylized work of historical cinematic fiction centered around a neighborhood spiraling out of control amid serial killer David Berkowitz's terrifying reign over New York in the summer of 1977. Both uniquely a Spike Lee film and one that doesn't entirely jibe with the rest of the auteur's oeuvre, "Summer of Sam" stands as a stunningly effective, if polarizing, piece of work. Still, some Lee-loving cineastes now consider it an overlooked masterpiece in his filmography. And if you dare to give it a look, you may agree.