Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2066 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-02
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 116 minutes

Synopsis
Robert DeNiro stars in his directorial debut as Lorenzo Anello, a dutiful father and blue-collar bus driver from the harsh New York City borough of the Bronx whom tries desperately to keep his son Calogero from surrendering to the temptation of organized crime. When Calogero witnesses Mafia kingpin Sonny (Chaz Palminteri) commit murder, he decides to honor the "code of the streets" and offers no information to the cops when interrogated. Consequently, a friendship is forged between Sonny and Calogero, and--against his father's wishes--the young man joins the Mafia. Calogero respects his father, though can not seem to shake his new lifestyle, but when push comes to shove it is his father who must confront the mob and save his son's life, leaving Calogero to re-examine the magnitude of his father's honest work ethics.

Customer Reviews

A moving story about life in the Bronx, NYC.
I've seen this movie numerous times, and definitely think it's worth commenting on. It was originally released in 1993 (directed by Robert De Niro - his directorial debut), and having seen it on VHS quite a few years back, I felt that I had to have a copy on DVD. The story centres around a young boy growing up in the Bronx, who falls under the influence of Sonny (Chazz Palminteri), the neighbourhood wiseguy, and details the fight by his father (played by Robert De Niro) to prevent his son from falling in to a life of crime. As the story unfolds, Calogero (the boy in question) is subjected to a full range of emotional and physical experiences, ranging from witnessing a murder to falling in love for the first time. As an account of a young boy growing up in the Bronx, in testing circumstances, this film hits the mark with memorable scenes, dialogue and strong acting from a solid cast.

Excellent Movie About a Neighborhood I Actually Grew Up In
Believe it or not, I grew up in this very same neighborhood. The Belmont section of the Bronx. Boy I remember, the neighborhood was actually owned by these streetwise guys. They made you feel protected. I lived in a 5 story apartment building in 663 Crescent Ave. which is adjacent to 187 street, the Little Italy of The Bronx. Fordham University is just a couple of blocks down. I didn't go to that college but a friend of mine went. Now I live in Milan, Italy. (Quite strange, isn't it?) But every now and then, I go back to visit that same neighborhood. I am not pointing any fingers at anybody, but a lot of these guys were racists. They wouldn't even let a black person live in the block. Just like the movie portrayed. Fortunately this bigotry never rubbed off onto me. But some of the kids I grew up with did. I wish the movie had a happier ending. When the guys threw cocktail bombs in the black neighborhood and then got killed in revenge as they tried to leave made me cry. Talk about wasted talent. Sad but true. But isn't that what it's all about, art imitating life?

sandy

Almost perfect
Great acting with a great script and solid characters.
It only lets itself down a bit in the last five minutes by delivering a broadside of family-friendly moralistic mush. But then perhaps I'm nitpicking. It really is outstanding.
Update:
Without prejudicing my commendation of this film, one aspect of it made me uncomfortable; the sanitisation of a couple of scenes of strong violence by not having any trace of blood when by rights there should be plenty. I am torn over this practice.
I feel on one hand that 'cleaning up' violence simply makes something more acceptable that should be unacceptable. On the other, showing the full consequences of violence (and images of blood do have a particularly strong effect) might only desensitise us to the real thing.