Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16118 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-06-23
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Formats: Anamorphic, PAL, Widescreen
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 128 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
Overshadowed by GoodFellas when it was released in 1990, State of Grace gradually emerged as one of the best New York gangster films of its decade. It was also the first to feature the Irish American mob known as the Westies. Here, their territory west of Times Square is being gentrified by an unwelcome infusion of yuppie cash, squeezing them into a reluctant alliance with Mafia kingpins. Frankie (Ed Harris) is the boss; little brother Jackie (Gary Oldman) is his volatile muscle; their friend Terry (Sean Penn) has returned from an extended absence, harbouring a dangerous secret while rekindling his love for Frankie and Jackie's sister Kathleen (Robin Wright, Penn's future wife). Giving one of his scariest, most violent performances, Oldman offers stark, brutal contrast to Harris's pent-up fury, while Penn breathes life into his character's standard-issue dilemma. A former protégé of Steven Spielberg's, director Phil Joanou handles this gritty potboiler with confident, unobtrusive style, ramping up the tension of divided loyalties, even as the plot grows increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
Terry Noonan returns to New York's Hell Kitchen after twelve years to find that his old neighbourhood of seedy bars and Irish-American mobsters has been taken over by Yuppies hell-bent on gentrification. Terry's childhood buddies, ruthless gang leader Frankie Flannery and his psychotic brother Jackie, are determined to keep the neighbourhood's tradition of organised -- and extremely violent -- crime alive. Terry joins Frankie's gang and gets back together with his former love, Frankie's sister Kathleen. But as the cops crack down on the Flannery crime ring, it becomes clear that Terry's loyalties are dangerously divided.

Customer Reviews

A haunting drama on friendship and betrayal
State of Grace is filmaking at its finest- a beautiful modern drama with superb performances.
The protagonist, Sean Penn as Terry Noonan, is looking to face his past in Hell's Kitchen and do his duty as an undercover police officer-only to find out that he will have to harm people he grew up with and love him.He soon meets and bonds with his best friend, Jackie Flannery (one of Gary Oldman's most beautiful performances-and his personal favourite), who is working for his brother Frank (Ed Harris),the boss of the Irish mafia, and his Jackie's sister Kathleen who was his first love. Soon, he will discover that it he cannot easily turn on his own people, especially not Jackie who, despite his drinking and his violent, borderline paranoid character, sees him as a friend and trusts him immediately.
Director Phil Joanou has created a beautiful film that relies on a good, heart-felt story, and excellent acting from all the protagonists. The absolute highlight of this movie is Gary Oldman, whose presence lights up every scene he is in. As Jackie Flannery he is constantly drunk and in need of a shower, yet incredibly human and looking for affection and the approval of his older brother.
I loved the film when I first saw it, and was just as impressed now that I got to see it again on DVD.It feels real and honest.The only drawback of this edition is its Spartan menu,featuring only a trailer but that may have to do with the film being made back in 1990... Appart from that it is an absolute must for movie lovers.

Overlooked classic of it's kind
First saw this film on long term absense from work years ago. I'd just about seen every film in my local video store and what attracted me was the cast and the fact it was a gangster film. Say no more. I was tempted and took a chance - what a choice!

It'a fair to say that the themes of this film are set in stone yet what the last reviewer fails to say is how thrilling the plot is. I was hooked. If you can accept that films about street level hoods and mob based crime have long been the norm since the Godfather then you can focus on the plot details rather than pointing out the cliches.

I will say no more about the plot than it follows Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) returning to his old neighboorhood wher he hooks up with his old pal Jackie Flannery (Gary Oldman) and becomes involved with Jackie's bro Frankie's (Ed Harris) mob who rule over Hell's Kitchen.

It is a brutally violent film yet no matter how repulsive the actions of each character become (watch Gary Oldman wipe out a couple of drinking hoods with no remorse if you know what I mean) you find yourself rooting for them.

The central trio of actors are as good as they've ever been and are supported by a collection of underratedactors - John C Reilly, John Turturro to name a few. Gary Oldman and Sean Penn are the two that bind the film together yet it is Ed Harris that holds the attention, he is repulsive yet vunerable in his scenes with his boss leading the viewer to empathise with his crucial decision.

I have recommended this film to many friends who would never have seen it otherwise and they all agree that it kicks arse! If you are a fan of filma such as Mean Streets, Donnie Brasco, King Of New York and (of course) Goodfellas then give this one a try as I feel it is truly underrated and deserves to sit alongside those afore mentioned.

The Best Gangster Film Ever Made
This film catches absolutey brilliant performances by 6 very talanted actors. The theme is real. Read a book called The Westies by T.J. English and you will see how close this film is to real life. the moods, the scenes, the dialogue and the story all work up to a true masterpeice. This is an undiscovered treasure and If Phil only made one brilliant work then this is it. It happens to many artists. Nevertheless this film is fantastic work or art.