Tagarchief: Joe Viterelli

State of Grace (1990)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘The Irish Mob in New York’

Directed by:
Phil Joanou

Written by:
Dennis McIntyre

Cast:
Sean Penn (Terry Noonan), Ed Harris (Frankie Flannery), Gary Oldman (Jackie Flannery), Robin Wright (Kathleen Flannery), John Turturro (Nick), Burgess Meredith (Finn), R.D. Call (Pat Nicholson), Joe Viterelli (Borelli), John C. Reilly (Stevie McGuire), Deirdre O’Connell (Irene)

If you are going to make a movie about Irish hoodlums, this is the way to do it. State of Grace is the Irish GoodFellas and that is a major compliment. Its realism stretches far beyond a pint of Guinness and a few songs by The Pogues. The viewer gets treated to a real sense of what Hell’s Kitchen and its inhabitants are like.

The movie begins with Irish cop Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) returning to his old neighbourhood – Hell’s Kitchen, now named Clinton (!) – to perform an undercover job. His mission is to infiltrate the Irish gang run by Frankie Flannery (Ed Harris) and terminate it before a dangerous alliance is formed with the Italian Mafia. His former best friend, Frankie’s brother Jackie (Gary Oldman), is also a member of the gang. Noonan also rekindles an old flame with Kathleen, sister of the Flannery’s. He is quickly torn between his loyalty to his friends and his official mission.

The story may sound a little cliché, which it is, but State of Grace does have a couple of surprises to offer. What makes the film really work is the striking environment it shows and the flesh and blood characters that live in it. Poverty, crime, drugs and alcohol tore this neighbourhood apart. The misery caused by this is in these characters’ DNA and determines everything they do.

A proper gangster movie usually has a crazy, hot headed, loose cannon character (think Joe Pesci’s Tommy in GoodFellas). In this film, Gary Oldman plays that role. His Jackie is one seriously disturbed – and often funny – wacko. His performance is the best thing about State of Grace, but the other cast members are excellent as well. Robin Wright adds to the heart of the film as a caring young woman who wants to improve things, but can’t – not with these people in her life. Penn is also solid in the lead as the conflicted Noonan and so is Harris as the ice-cold gang boss Frankie Flannery.

The movie ends with a The Wild Bunch-like shoot-out. This might be a bit of an odd choice for ending this particular movie with, but it still works nicely. Director Joanou uses beautiful, slow motion bullet hits mixed with St. Patrick Day parade images to create a terrific and blood boiling sequence. If you are looking for a gangster film that almost matches Scorsese’s finest work, look no further.

Rating:

Quote:
FRANKIE FLANNERY: “If I don’t call you by two o’clock or Pat don’t call you, you come in and tear ‘em apart, the spaghetti still on their spoons.”

Trivia:
The word ‘fuck’ and variation are used 210 times in the film.

Mafia Wannabe’s (2000)

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


‘In the mob you’re either made men or…’

Directed by:
Charles A. Addessi
William DeMeo

Written by:
William DeMeo

Cast:
William DeMeo (Angelo Argono), Conor Dubin (Paulie Argono), Ray Serra (Uncle Tommy), Daniel Margotta (Pete), John Palumbo (Dom), Joe Viterelli (Santo), Joseph D’Onofrio (Vinny), John Glenn Hoyt (Eddie), Vinny Vella (Carmine), Joseph Daleo Jr. (Lenny)

Angelo and Paulie are two young brothers from Brooklyn. They grew up without parents, and the only family they have is their uncle Tommy. They pay their rent with waiter jobs, which increasingly frustrates Angelo. He feels like he and his brother are nobodies who often have to suffer humiliation.

The boss of the neighborhood is Santo Minera. Angelo tries to impress him, which irritates Santo’s hot-headed son, Vinny. Tired of the insults, Angelo convinces his brother to start a bookie business together with their two close friends, Pete and Dom.

Their first steps into crime do not go smoothly. But after a while they start earning good money and expand the business into numbers, loansharking, and eventually extortion. This attracts the attention of Santo, who decides the boys can continue operating if they kick up to him.

The young crew starts doing well, but Angelo decides that his brother is not fit for the mob life and tells him to step out of it. Santo is very happy with Angelo, who earns well and uses his brains. Vinny grows increasingly frustrated with his father’s liking of Angelo and starts to pose a serious threat to everyone involved.

I was expecting another new-millennium Sopranos cash-in movie, but this one surprised me in a positive way. Sure, we’ve seen stuff like this before, but watching the young crew rise from nobodies to respected associates of the mob was convincingly done. This is thanks to the solid acting of the young cast and some realistic writing. The movie also avoids the typical mob clichés and delivers a pretty surprising ending. If you’re a Mafia film fan, try to pick up a copy of this flick – it’s well worth your time.

Rating:

Quote:
YUPPIE: “Why don’t you go home and watch the Sopranos? You dumb guedo!”

Trivia:
Writer, co-director and lead actor William DeMeo has an extensive mob film resume that includes playing the character Jason Molinaro in The Sopranos.