A Brooklyn State of Mind

I popped this into the VHS player this morning not expecting much, what I got was a solid drama filmed in my hometown of Brooklyn that paid off on a smaller scale. Danny Aiello plays an Italian Mafia man and does a great job turning in a performance as a real son-of-a b-tch that deserves what is coming to him. We also get a nice lead turn by Brooklyn native and handsome actor Vincent Spano not to mention the very easy on the eyes Italian Beauty (from the old country) Maria Grazia Cucinotta. Tony Danza has a good supporting role. Not a great all time classic but the film delivers and is well worth the view. Fans of Scorcese, the Godfather films and the Sopranos would not be disappointed.

A Danny Aiello fan, I read the viewer's comments and purchased the VHS.

Apparently shot on location in Brooklyn, the characters portray the residents well. In an old Italian neighborhood, they try hold onto their traditions. Sunday dinner in a paneled basement, Aunt Rose (Morgana King) PERFECT as the matriarch of the film with her Olive Oil fixer to all cooking issues working her garden in the backyard, deadpan Abe Vigoda as Uncle Guy, and Danny Aiello as the blood-sucking local in charge of the neighborhood.

His hands in everything, he appears to be the mayor of the area (with ever faithful bodyguard Vincent Pastore at his side), trying to keep the neighborhood as it was until an interloper (Gabriella) rents Aunt Rose's upstairs to make a film about Brooklyn. As the plot goes on, we learn that her movie is not about Brooklyn and family, but that her coming to this particular house was for a reason.

I agree with the previous poster, Rick Aiello was way over the top. (Maybe that's why Spike Lee gave him small roles in his films). You can figure out towards the middle what the real deal is, but it is still an interesting low budget film.

Danny Aiello's real estate solution to evicting tenants is really how they did it in Bushwick back in the 80's and his solution to getting the necessary construction permits are accurate too.

I was talked into renting this movie the other night at the video store by the clerk and was pleased with the film. It is very much your typical mob film, but good acting all around really helps. Danny Aiello is back playing a scheming mob personality with Tony Danza in an impressive performance as a guy stuck in a bad situation who fights back. The main plotline involving the exotic and beautiful lead actress playing Gabriella and Vincent Spano (of "Alive" and "Indian Summer") is a nice story but towards the end the plot becomes cheesy. The worst actor award goes to Rick Aiello who just gets really annoying about an hour into the film. I can't believe he won an award for it!! But, overall it was an impressive little independent mob film that is better than the latest Mario Puzzo TV mini-series starring Kirstie Alley.