petercapozzoli

This movie is beautifully done. It is one of my favorites. It is a glimpse at another time. It is a movie about values. The whole movie is about one big day in the life of a boy growing up in the depression in Philadelphia and the wisdom his grandfather passes on. It is a touching and rewarding movie. The hopelessness of the depression comes out effectively in the movie. Gennaro and Tullio are just ordinary kids that aren't perfect. There is an interesting interplay between a child's honest selfishness and the relationship between wanting and needing. Pacino: "Your heart wants, your belly needs." Wanting is good because it requires hope. Many touching lines between Pacino (grandfather) and Barone (Gennaro). There is some humor also. Favorite line: Gennaro- "There's no milk!" See it and find out why I liked that line!

This is one of my favorites. Read the other comments because they accurately reflect what is great about this movie. With the jarring beginning and all the ugly snapshots of inner city life, this movie makes me want to go back to this believable place that has been created. It makes you believe there is really a place called Max's... a place with diversity and all the complexities of humankind... and that there is hope for mankind! Some of my favorite lines that I repeat constantly (probably wrong): "He'll come back. He just wants to spend some time with his dream." "You've got it backwards. First you get crippled, then you try to commit suicide". Of course... "I'm big, BIG, bigger than you...but that's not hard to be Jerry ... that's not hard to be!" (BTW, does anyone know what Roary (that's how Rory spells it) says after that?... it sounds like "Oh, my hiney" Let me know. My wife and I have played it back 100 times. John Savage has many great lines throughout this. I could never figure out why he didn't win an award. Finally,I think the often-called hokey/corny ending is necessary to bring us back from a hard smack on a Buick. "Hey Roary!"