‘Gangster Squad’ star Giovanni Ribisi on the movie’s brilliant cast, his love of gangster films, and re-filming a crucial scene in the wake of the Aurora shooting

Giovanni Ribisi is one of the most fascinating actors working today. His presence in a film can mean that you're watching either the biggest of Hollywood blockbusters (like James Cameron’s 3D sci-fi adventure “Avatar” or the raucous R-rated comedy “Ted”) or an indie darling destined for cult classic status (like David Lynch’s wild and weird “Lost Highway” or Sophia Coppola’s endearing “Lost in Translation").

Ribisi’s latest film, the stylish neo-noir cops vs. crooks flick “Gangster Squad,” likely falls into the former category, although its all-star cast (including the likes of Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, and Emma Stone) would probably be at home in either kind of movie. Set in post-war Los Angeles, “Gangster Squad” (which is loosely based on actual events) follows a team of police officers involved in a secret “off the books” operation to prevent East Coast mobster Mickey Cohen (Penn) from establishing a foothold in the city.

After an initial meeting to discuss the film and its characters, the 38-year-old actor says that it didn’t take much more for “Zombieland” director Ruben Fleischer to convince him to join the project. The cast that Fleischer had already assembled left Ribisi little doubt that he wanted to be involved in the film.

"I’ve always wanted to work with Sean Penn,” confesses the actor, sitting in a spartan room on the 15th floor of Toronto's Shangri-La Hotel. “Ryan [Gosling] I’m a huge fan of, and Josh [Brolin] -- this was our fourth movie together! I have a lot of respect for him.”

Ribisi adds that “Gangster Squad” had pretty much everything an actor could ask for. “Across the board – the story, the script, the crew and the cast – it was just undeniable.”

See also: Five film facts about 'Gangster Squad'

Ribisi’s character Keeler is the gangster squad’s resident tech expert – the brains of the operation, as they might have called him in the '40s. A former wartime intelligence officer, Keeler’s know-how allows the squad to get the drop on mobster Mickey Cohen and his criminal enterprises, but his role is more than just techie.

“He really is the conscience of the group,” Ribisi says. “This is a situation where good more or less has to become evil in order to fight fire with fire.”

To beat Cohen and company, the men of the gangster squad have to ditch their badges and play by the mob’s rules. “Shoot first and ask questions later” is pretty much the group’s mantra. Left asking those questions is Ribisi’s Keeler. “He’s the beacon for them in the film, the guy who’s going ‘This is not cool what we’re doing. We’re being them! Where does that line become distinct because I can’t see it right now?’”

See also: Josh Brolin on his 'Gangster Squad' brawl with Sean Penn (VIDEO)

Ribisi is no stranger to morally complex films set in the era of “Gangster Squad.” A few years ago the actor appeared in Michael Mann’s Tommy gun-toting, Depression-era “Public Enemies,” and before that Steven Spielberg’s World War II drama “Saving Private Ryan.” That experience may have helped inform his “Gangster Squad” character.

“The group circumambulated two major events in American history – the Great Depression and World War 2 – and a lot of the squad, a lot of the people who were on the police force at the time, came out of that," he says.

Despite Keeler having lived through both those events – and the rampant violence inflicted on Los Angeles by Cohen on top of that – Ribisi's character is a forward-looking optimist. That optimism stands in stark contrast to the attitudes of war-weathered squad leader O’Mara (Brolin) and borderline-alcoholic former pilot Jerry Wooters (Gosling).

“By the late '40s you’re in an era of optimism – we’d beat the bad guy!” insists Ribisi, adding that Keeler’s desire to take on Cohen reflects that. “He actually does want to go fight the bad guy -- it’s very simple and his heart is in the right place. There was a certain sort of innocence to it.”

See also: The 'Gangster Squad' premiere (PHOTOS)

The gangster movie genre has a long and colourful history in Hollywood, and is perhaps more associated with the early days of Tinsel Town than even the Western or musical genres. Iconic cinema gangsters played by legendary actors like Edward G. Robinson and James Cagney are remembered to this day, influencing generations of actors and filmmakers. Ribisi is well aware of the genre’s importance to cinema, but tried not to let that distract him from the job at hand.

“I’m a huge fan of the movies from the 1930s and '40s -- it was the birthplace of film noir,” says a deferential Ribisi."It’s just unabated, full force, and so elemental – what you see is what you get! There’s something very gratifying about that kind of storytelling."

See also: Nick Nolte wore what to the 'Gangster Squad' premiere?! (VIDEO)

The actor believes that "Gangster Squad" has captured some of that mid-century magic, but admits that there's a whole genre to live up to. “There’s pressure not just from that era, but extending to virtually every decade. The '70s with the 'Godfather' movies, the '90s with 'Goodfellas,' 'Miller’s Crossing' – so many incredible films."

Ribisi adds that the fact that most of these gangster movies, including "Gangster Squad," centre on either antiheroes or outright villains is just a reflection of the time.

"Out of World War II and the Great Depression you had gangsters being just as popular as movie stars," he says, smiling. "They were on the covers and the front pages of magazines day in and day out because they were essentially the Robin Hoods of their era."

See also: Emma Stone dishes on 'Gangster Squad' (VIDEO)

Even if his character in "Gangster Squad" isn't really one of those antiheroes, Ribisi definitely understands the appeal. “There’s always been a mystique and a fascination with that sort of demimonde. That you have these people who are willing at all costs to survive in this destitute world and say 'f--- you' to corruption and a government that people had become disenchanted with.”

Of course, there can be downsides to a film glorifying criminals and/or criminal behaviour. In the wake of a string mass shootings in the United States, there has been a great deal of discussion about the possible role that violent entertainment may have played in the tragedies. It's a sensitive issue, but one that Hollywood has been very responsive to. After the Aurora, Colorado movie theatre shooting, studio Warner Bros. decided to reshoot "Gangster Squad" and edit out a scene that featured a shoot-out in Hollywood's famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre -- a decision that Ribisi seems to support.

"I saw the first incarnation of 'Gangster Squad' before the Colorado incident, and it was effective – and that’s putting it mildly," says the actor, grimacing. "Hollywood and the film industry are global, and I think it’s ignorant to not recognize that there is an effect that these films have – therefore there is a responsibility."

See also: Warner Bros. pulls movie theatre shooting scene from 'Gangster Squad' in wake of Aurora tragedy

However, Ribisi is quick to qualify that statement. "I think it’s also ignorant to not consider the fact that there has been violence and the use of weapons in films since the beginning of films -- there has been violence and the use of weapons since the beginning of formal storytelling and we’re going back 4,500 years!"

However Ribisi, like many others in Hollywood, admits that he's getting tired of Hollywood always becoming a scapegoat for incidents like Aurora and Newtown.

"There are other factors at play that are being overlooked and I think people need to consider that."

"Gangster Squad" hits theatres on Jan. 11.