Irish Eyes

The plot was dull, the acting was forced and uninspired, the accents were unbearable, the direction was not present, the film itself was out of focus. Writer/Director/Actor/Producer Daniel McCarthy must have forgotten to include focus puller in his list of responsibilities.

I only wish MST3k was still on the air, this beats Manos: The Hands of Fate for the worst movie ever made. I saw this at the New York premiere and asked the projectionist about the film being out of focus and he told me he spent much of the running time trying to fix the focus only to realize it was the film itself which was out of focus. Despite all of these factors I stayed through the four times I expected the movie to finish and then kept going for another twenty minutes until it finally came to an anti-climactic and predictable end. It is no wonder why they had to get a new film editor during post-production.

I recommend this film for the U.S. government as an alternative to traditional torture techniques as this is far worse than water boarding, not to mention they have to watch Daniel Baldwin fail to act his way out of a paper bag or donut box. Whatever the title of this movie is watch at your own risk. If I had Bill Cosby's money I would buy the rights to this and destroy any record of it. I can only hope Writer/Director/Actor/Producer Daniel McCarthy does not inflict any more damage to the minds of unsuspecting film goers ever again. Horrible, just plain horrible.

In Boston, the Irish father of two boys is executed by the Italian mafia in front of the children when he was leaving home going to work. Each brother follows a path in the law seeking for revenge: Sean Phelan (Daniel Baldwin) becomes a criminal and head of the Irish mob, and Thomas Phelan (John Novak) becomes a successful prosecutor. However, their relationship is almost impossible for both sides, leading to a tragic consequence.

I was really surprised with the IMDb User Rating of 2.9 for this movie. I saw an imported DVD without subtitles, and I missed some words because of the accent and way of speaking of John Novak, but I really found "Vendetta, No Conscience, No Merci" a powerful and dramatic movie of mob and revenge. The major problem is the miscast John Novak, who has no resemblance with Daniel Baldwin, becoming hard to believe that they are brothers. His way of speaking without moving the lips is also awful. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): Not available, but the imported DVD I saw is called "Vendetta, No Conscience, No Merci"

Irish Eyes is well worth viewing. The relationship between the brothers played by Daniel Baldwin and John Novak is engaging to watch and both actors give heartfelt performances. The story is gritty and compelling, supported by a strong acting ensemble. Bravo to Daniel McCarthy for bringing a great story to the big screen!! It's a remarkable achievement for someone writing, directing and producing his first feature.

I recently saw a preview screening of "Irish Eyes" in Los Angeles and must say I was pretty impressed. A look at the world of the Irish mafia in Boston through the world of two brothers, the film succeeds in that it doesn't specifically focus on the mob side of things, trying to be an Irish "Goodfellas", but is equally concerned with developing an honest story between two brothers and how crime and conflict tear at the familial bind.

Hats off to John Novak, the straight-laced brother with political aspirations and a very suprising Daniel Baldwin, who, as far as I have seen, gives the performance of his career as the criminal brother who has a good heart somewhere deep inside but can't seem to save himself as he becomes steeped deeper and deeper into trouble. Also, a nice debut for director, Daniel McCarthy.

Definitely worth a look.

'Irish Eyes' or 'Vendetta' is an action-packed crime-drama that follows two Irish-American brothers in Boston from childhood to adulthood as they rise to power on opposite sides of the law.

The story begins in 1955 at a shipyard in South Boston. John Phelan, a burly dock worker with a thick Irish brogue, argues with two Mafioso over the strongarm tactics of the Italian-controlled union. The altercation turns physical and John, an adept pugilist, sends his enemies away limping. The following morning John kisses his wife and sons goodbye. As he exits the house, bullets rip through his chest as the two mobsters casually walk away. SEAN (Daniel Baldwin) and THOMAS (John Novak) watch as their father lies dying in the street.

Eight years later, Sean and Thomas have taken completely different paths in life. Thomas studies with ambitions to make something of his life while Sean hangs out on street corners and dabbles in petty crime. Thomas eventually leaves for college and Sean, after a botched bank robbery attempt, winds up in prison.

The early 1980s: Sean Phelan is fresh out of jail. Irish gang wars have bloodied the streets, and like a moth to a flame, Sean soon finds himself climbing the ranks of Boston's Irish mob. Meanwhile, Thomas is just as hungry for power and recognition on his side of the law. Now a District Attorney, Thomas is mentored by his father in law, Jack McGuire, a man with enough clout to help Thomas rise through the ranks of city politics.

Their paths eventually cross in an unfogettable way as they're both forced to make decisions that will change their lives forever.