Staten Island

In Staten Island, New York, Parmie Tarzo (Vincent D'Onofrio) is a powerful mobster boss. The family man Sully Halverson (Ethan Hawke) is septic tank cleaner married with Mary Halverson (Julianne Nicholson) and they are trying to have a baby. The deaf and dumb Jasper "Jas" Sabiano (Seymour Cassel) is the slicer of deli meat in a market and also works for Parmie Tarzo slicing the bodies of his victims. Jas likes Sully and expects to win the horse races.

One day, Sully that is not a bright man decides to heist the house of Parmie Tarzo, expecting to artificially inseminate Mary with a better sperm than his in an expensive clinic. Meanwhile Jas wins the horse race and there is an attempt on Tarzo's life and he finds that his gangsters have planned it. The lives of the three residents are entwined with tragic consequences.

"Staten Island" is a movie that blends different genres – comedy, crime and drama – in an uneven way. The screenplay is not linear and Parmie Tarzo on the top of the tree is boring and silly. The best segment is the drama of Sully, and the motives of Jas are not clear. "Staten Island" entertains but is not special. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available

This film is about the intersecting lives of a mobster, a septic tank cleaner and a butcher in Staten island, New York.

At first I thought "Staten Island" was a mobster film. When scenes concerning a forest start, it became pretty flat and unconventional for a mobster film. After a while, I realised that in fact it wasn't a mobster film. It's actually a touching drama about how people struggle to make ends meet, what people would do to end their misery and what people would do to have a glimmer of hope for a brighter future. I particularly was entranced by the character and the performance of Jasper. His silent world is so well portrayed, that I really feel his world. His deafness parallels his muted suffering, as the mobs make him do atrocious stuff but he could not say no. "Staten Island" is an engaging drama, I hope it will get a wider audience which it deserves.

This was lots of fun, if slow to develop & move forward. Minor quibble because of excellent acting from all leads, & equally good supporting cast performances. Apt, oddball choices of songs commented on the action and characters. There are brief scenes of intense gore, but you can close your eyes for a second.

I agree with another poster that parts of this don't mesh as a whole, but it didn't bother me because of the film's almost happy-go-lucky vibe, a little wistful and silly, funny in places. It was saved by balancing those elements or attitudes with a fresh take on 2nd rate mobsters in - not that I agree, since I was born there - a second rate burg. The local color is done well - it's very particular to SI, though not the whole story.

Seymour Cassell was especially good - it's great to see a guy who's seen it all display depth and nuance in what's essentially a light but highly entertaining flick.

If you like off-beat, unusual films, and directors who aren't afraid to go out on a limb, and sharp small characters, you'll have a good time with this one.

I attended the screening in NJ a couple of weeks ago and absolutely loved the film. It was three vignettes about different characters who are all tied together on Staten island. At times the film was funny and others grim but the overall effect was extremely enjoyable. Vincent D'Onofrio and Seymour Cassel were outstanding in their roles as gangster and cohort/victim. Ethan Hawke was also incredible. I was anxious to see the film because my 12 year old son and I watched a scene being filmed in our town last summer and was thoroughly surprised. I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys quirky comedy with a healthy dose of irony and drama.

The movie might try to be a little bit too clever for it's own good, but it still kinda works. The tone might be a bit shifted at places, but for a low budget thriller, this is pretty good. The acting is decent, the story rolls along nicely.

But something is still missing to make it great. While all the stories told are quite appealing (for one reason or the other), it is just too much coincidence and too much confidence in a few things. Although the end might be a little bit more rewarding for some than others, you could and should give it a try, especially if you like those sort of movies in general.