Federal Hill

Many critics say this film gives off an anti-gay message. Ralph (played by Nicholas Turturro ) throughout the film mentions several gay remarks that are tasteless and crude. Hard to ignore, Ralph makes it clear to the audience that he has a problem with gay people. The reason for this is not because he hates gay people. The reason is because Ralph himself is gay! Take a good look at the relationship between Raplph and Nicky while you watch the film. I believe Ralph seems prejudice towards gay people to hide the fact that he is. An excellent independent film, Federal Hill was shot in Providence, Rhode Island. Good acting, great direction, and a powerful story, It is one of Nicholas Turturro's best performances.

Overall the movie was okay. I never thought about Nicky and Ralphy's relationship and you are right, now I think about it, Ralph seem very jealous of Nicky's relationship with a woman. A lot foul language and tough acts throughout the film...typical of hoodlum type of movies.

I like to get the "run you away" theme song of the movie...can't seem to find it.

Being from Rhode Island and working on Federal Hill, I feel that this movie truly captured the essence of the Italian American young adult in it's day and age. Believe me, the characters are soooooo close to home.. Corrente really was able to portray the "spacone" better than a lot of other directors were able to do.. Definitely watch this movie.... and if your from Rhode Island and haven't seen it yet.... rent it.. buy it.. watch it.. get some haven brothers and watch it.... I had a lot of laughs watching these guys run around the state to places that I can relate to... everything from food spots to night clubs.. I love the scene when Nicky cooks for his girlfriend.. really funny.. it reminds me of myself..

Providence, Rhode Island, and in particular its neighbourhood of the title, serves as but one among many interesting personalities in this well-wrought feature film debut of its director/scriptor Michael Corrente. Completed in less than one month and having a sparse budget, the skillfully edited work benefits from a forcefully driven narrative that includes several parallel plot strings. Five Italian-American friends share the major portion of the scenario, with brothers Ralphie (Nicholas Turturro) and Nicky (Anthony DeSando) having their close relationship jeopardized by the latter's romantic involvement with a Brown University co-ed. At the same time, their cousin Bobby (Jason Andrews) finds himself dangerously in debt and when collection time nears, Ralphie agrees to help him raise the needed cash through an ingenious and illicit scheme. Based upon an early single act play by Corrente, later expanded to a full-length piece, "Ledge Street", this production displays a strong motif dealing with the difficulty of overcoming class distinctions. Shot with black and white stock, appropriate for its mise-en-scène, the picture was slated by its distributor, Trimark, for colourization to make it palatable for movie theatre audiences, but Corrente did not back away from his chiaroscuro vision and it remained as his perception dictated, although he permitted colour processing (under his oversight) for its video release, it therefore owning an odd distinction of being the only modern U.S. black and white film that had colour added for home consumption. The interlaced lives of the principal characters are strongly portrayed by the cast, Turturro nabbing acting honours with a passionate and layered performance, with only the female lead, in her initial feature, failing to convince in her rôle. Cinematographer Richard Crudo obviously is a creative partner here of Corrente, and there is a great deal of originality within his compositions, while he is able to make something fresh with use of closeups. A feeling is generated that the Federal Hill district has its distinctive persona, and incisive dialogue binds a viewer's attention to Ralphie and Nicky's widely variable states of mind in a film that carves a niche for its cinematic métier and for its director.

Good movie about a group of Italian American twentysomethings centering around two Nicky and Ralph and their criminal ways and relationships. The story is kind of borrowing from MEAN STREETS but it has its own little twists. Pretty good movie I recommend to fans of GOODFELLAS and MEANSTREETS.