Yonkers Joe

Nice indie film with great ingredients: gambling, sleight of hand, craps rather than cards, no poker sponsors (Hurrah!) and in the mix a good family drama about a father discovering his mentally handicapped son and building that relationship.

It works in the main: a very solid cast and a good script give this some oomph, however it is a little light on real drama. Perhaps it suffers from the seen it before syndrome that afflicts most con films, even with the twists of dice and a handicapped kid, that aside as a study of a gambler rediscovering life it works well.

It is enjoyable and the performances are solid.

Definitely worth viewing - just lacks something that something extra that would make it truly memorable.

This is a fantastic film. The performances are engaging and Oscar-caliber. The characters express so much more through their expressions than words ever could.

While this was made independently, it doesn't give the look or the feel of an independent movie. Every performance is spellbinding, particularly those of Christine Lahti, Chazz Palminteri, and Thomas Guiry.

The supporting cast is outstanding as well. Every character has a purpose and plays it to perfection. The relationship between father and son is examined in a different, yet honest environment.

I hope everybody will search out this movie. It is truly phenomenal.

I saw this film last night @ the Starz Denver Film Festival. My husband and I decided to see it @ the last minute after hearing rave reviews from a festival volunteer who had been to a screening earlier in the day. We were intrigued, having lived in Yonkers for 3 years and it is always a treat to see a film and meet the director afterwords @ the Q and A. We were not disappointed. The above comments do a good job of describing the film. Indeed, the viewer is drawn into the lives of these characters and it is refreshing to see a true Indie film as opposed to a big budget, Hollywood extravaganza. The acting is great-you will recognize many of the actors from more high profile films/TV. The lead, Guiry, was most recently a star of the ill-fated TV series "The Black Donneleys. The film has scenes in four cities: Yonkers, Atlantic City, Miami and Las Vegas. It is especially interesting to see Vegas from the point of view of a "regular" gambler as opposed to the highly glamorized view the film-goer gets from an "Oceans Eleven," for example. Christine Lahti is amazing in this film. Support independent film-making in the U.S. and go see it when it comes out!

I saw this at the Waterfront Film Festival in Saugatuck, Michigan.

Yonkers Joe stars Chazz Palminteri as the title character, a great con artist who makes a lot of money from working the tables at casinos. He and his girlfriend Janice (Christine Lahti) have a pretty good life. But then Joe gets a call from an institution telling him that his son Joe Jr. (Tom Guiry) who has Down's Syndrome is being disruptive there and thus must be taken out. Joe doesn't know how to take care of his son and this new change in his life is ruining a lot of his plans and ways of making money. Over time, the father and son try to live with each other while at the same time try to help each other out.

This film had a great cast. Palminteri was wonderful as Yonkers Joe, a conflicted and confused parent who doesn't know how to take care of his troubled son. Lahti is a delight trying to play the role of the one that hopes to ease the tension and make Joe Jr. feel like he's welcome. And Tom Guiry is excellent and very believable as Joe Jr. Someone after the screening even asked the director if the actor who played Joe Jr. really had Down's Syndrome. Guiry gives a lot of depth to the character, making Joe Jr. both entertaining and emotional.

There are many clever moments throughout the film, all of the con acts are fun to watch. The dialogue is well written and the plot unravels nicely. The scenes in Las Vegas are also very well shot in all of the different locations.

With a talented cast and crew, Yonkers Joe is a great and enjoyable film that people she really look out for.

YONKERS JOE is a great addition to the tradition of independent New York centered films. Twelve years in the making, its story of a mid-level professional gambler and his adult son with Down's Syndrome was compelling and skillfully played. Chaz Palminteri keeps your attention throughout the story, and Tom Guiry (The Black Donnellys)deserves recognition for a convincing performance of a young man coping with Down's.

The story covers familiar ground with lots of nice twists and details. Technically very clever on the skills required to take on a modern casino security system. Believable from beginning to end.

Support this film when it comes out for release. Wonderful performances by Palminteri, Christine Lahti as his patient and clever love interest and a solid character cast including Michael Lerner,Roma Maffia, Arthur Nascarella and many familiar TV series faces. Any father/son should see this movie. You will laugh and learn, and be wiser at the end.

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