Chances are you won’t get to see “City Island” before it leaves theaters, but if possible, I suggest you see it. Written and directed by Raymond De Felitta and starring Andy Garcia, this movie is a gem, a screwball comedy that has you rooting for all of the characters. De Felitta demonstrates an ability to find the humanity in his characters and play this both for laughs and for a heart-felt response. And for someone who usually plays a cop or mobster, Andy Garcia displays a rarely utilized comedic ability as a man who has ignored his dreams and his responsibilities until he’s forced to confront them.
City Island is a one-square mile section of the Bronx, a fishing village comprised of ‘mussel-suckers’ (newcomers to City Island) and ‘clam-diggers’ (those whose families have lived there for generations). Prison guard Vince Rizzo (Garcia), a proud clam-differ, is an everyman who has always wanted to be an actor. Vince lies to his wife about going to poker games when he’s really attending acting classes, but that’s not his only secret. Vince brings home Tony (Steven Strait), a newly paroled prisoner, because Vince has just discovered Tony is his son. Of course, Tony doesn’t know this yet and neither does anyone in his family. Vince’s wife Joyce (Margulies) fears he is having an affair because she doesn’t believe his story about weekly poker games. Vince’s daughter Vivian (Garcia’s daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido), who lost her scholarship, is stripping to earn money to return to college and Vince Jr. (Ezra Miller) is fascinated with big girls. “City Island” is an especially entertaining movie about family secrets and I highly recommend it. 3/17/10
1 comment:
I maybe among the precious few who will see this film and that's a shame. This movie is excellent with a good story and a very fine cast. Its a small budget, small market movie that deserves to be seen and probably won't be. Go see it if you get a chance, its not "AVATAR" but it is very good!
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