The Pope of Greenwich Village

Not your typical mobster movie, the Pope of Greenwich Village does have a good Sinatra soundtrack. The cool style that was 1984 is showcased in this movie. The hair styles, the clothes, the music, even the cool walk is present in this movie. One of Eric Roberts best movies, his acting is second to none as the fast talking, fast walking, and scared out of his mind side kick / cousin to Mickey Rourke. The "thumb scene" alone is timeless. It is both scary and funny, most movies can't produce a scene with as much realism as "Charlie....they took my thumb. Overall, the Pope of Greenwich Village is a comedy, but at times, it is dramatic and as serious as a heart attack. A classic for the 80's, sit back and enjoy Rourke, Roberts, Young and Hannah when they were on top of the world...and on top of Hollywood.

Remember when Mickey Rourke was good? Remember Eric Roberts before the "Best of the Best" series? Remember Darryl Hannah at her finest? If not, this surprisingly good film will show you why they all were once established talents (or in Hannah's case, just nice to look at). The dialogue is New York street, but done so well it doesn't feel out of place. A must-see movie for anyone who loves NY, or just stories about endearing losers trying to make it big.

Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts gets the chance to really shine. Two young up n coming actors who both put in a great performance. It is fantastic to see these two really get in to their parts. What we get to see is actors withe pure talent at their bests.Even Daryl Hannah is really strong. Even down to the smallest part the movie is great casted. This is a must for everyone who loves great acting! Geraldine Page was nominated for best supporting actress, other smaller parts include M. Emmet Walsh, Burt Young(Oscar nominated for Rocky), Jack Kehoe (known from The Sting and Serpico) and many many more. With New York City as a backdrop for the story, this is almost as god as it gets. A classic!

Rourke & Roberts pre-fame.

Charlie Moran (Rourke) seemed more like an Irish hood instead of an Italian. Rourke basically set a trend on the type of characters he plays. He's basically re-did this role again and again. And why not? He's great at it.

Eric Roberts is a chronic over actor. But unlike most, he can be so entertaining. Watching him chew the scenery here was the most fun. The whole "He should die, die, die...." scene after they get fired in the beginning is still a corker.

Daryl Hannah is not the best actress, but she seemed to thrive here as Charlie's straight girlfriend.

And kudos to Walsh, Young, McMillan (R.I.P), and the brilliant Geraldine Page (also R.I.P) for their roles. Page almost stole the film.

And I think Bedbug Eddie (Young) was based on the late NYC mafia leader Fat Tony Salerno. He also conducted most of his business in a no frills back room. He also didn't drink.

Good character study.

From the opening credits with that smooth Frank Sinatra hit "Summer Wind", this movie never lost my attention. A quaint story of two wanna- be rich guys from Little Italy who unsuccessfully stumble through life trying everything to make a buck without having to work for it. You can't help but sympathize however with the characters of ROURKE and ROBERTS. They leave a lasting impression with the viewer conveying how life can be brutal in all aspects; whether emotional or tangible. And how good guys really do finish last. It was nice to see a measure of revenge for the two in the last scene at the hands of crime boss BURT YOUNG. DARRYL HANNAH adds a great supporting role as ROURKE'S girlfriend who quickly loses patience with him. The one person I was most impressed with was MICKEY ROURKE. He showed such great promise as an actor in this film-his best, hands down. I still can't believe how he allowed himself to deteriorate through the years in the way he has. He truly could have been one of the greats in the industry. That is far from an overstatement. Anyhow, this is a can't miss film-a sleeper. In my opinion, as good or better then some of my other favorites like Goodfellas, The Godfather etc. Enjoy it over and over.