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Mickey Rourke is "The Pope of Greenwich Village" in this 1984 film also starring Eric Roberts, Geraldine Page, Kenneth McMillan, Darryl Hannah and Burt Young. Rourke is Charlie, who, with his cousin Paulie, rob a mobster with the help of a safecracker (McMillan). Both Rourke and Roberts are in fine form against the New York background. Everything about this film is seedy. The detectives all look out of shape and overtired, everybody has smoker's skin or a drinker's red nose. As Charlie, Rourke wants a big score so he can buy a restaurant, but his fatal flaw is listening to his idiotic cousin Paulie, a total loser and a weakling, who gets him involved in the robbery of a vicious mobster where a cop is killed at the scene. The attractive Rourke uses his sweet smile to good advantage and underplays; it's a shame he underwent such severe plastic surgery and took his career off track. Roberts plays Paulie as completely pathetic, so pathetic that at times, he's funny, even when his circumstances aren't.

The mob movies were in their heyday when "The Pope of Greenwich Village" was made, so it probably got lost in the shuffle. It's not a big film, but the acting and locations are impressive. Look for Geraldine Page in a small but showy role as the dead cop's mother, a woman who can handle the police better than anyone.

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.

Watching 'The Pope Of Greenwich Village' almost twenty years after it was released you can't but help think a)what a great movie it is, and b)what the hell happened to Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts, two of the most exciting actors of the 1980s? Rourke drifted off into boxing and b-grade action movies, and apart from some great cameos in movies by Sean Penn, Steve Buscemi and Vincent Gallo ('The Pledge', 'The Animal Factory', 'Buffalo '66' respectively) has almost been forgotten by the current generation of movie fans, and Roberts has also made way too many bad straight to video action films and is regarded as a joke by most people. It's so sad what happened to their careers, but this movie sees them both at their peak, and boy, they were both GREAT actors! The movie is directed by Stuart Rosenberg who made my all time favourite movie 'Cool Hand Luke' back in the 1960s, and Michael Cimino ('The Deerhunter') also worked on it uncredited. I don't know if this means it was a troubled shoot, I don't know the background details, but if that's the case it certainly doesn't show on screen. Some people find this movie too rambling and anecdotal, but I loved it. It's a superior character driven buddy movie (which reminds me in places of Cimino's earlier overlooked 'Thunderbolt And Lightfoot'). Rourke and Roberts are dynamite together, and I would recommend this movie for them alone, but the supporting cast includes a credible turn from Daryl Hannah and a whole bunch of great character actors - M. Emmett Walsh, Burt Young, Val Avery, Jack Kehoe, and especially Kenneth McMillan (who later appeared with Roberts in another great "forgotten" 1980s movie 'Runaway Train') who plays a heartbreaking role as the poor guy who gets enmeshed in Roberts and Rourke's doomed robbery plan. 'The Pope Of Greenwich Village' deserves to be rediscovered. Any film buff who appreciates good acting will enjoy it, and youngsters who aren't aware of Mickey Rourke, or who regard Eric Roberts as little more than a figure of fun should check it out and be amazed.

Paulie and Charlie (Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke) are two very dim hustlers...hustlers who don't want to work for a living but who chase get rich quick schemes...often illegal ones at that. These gangster wannabes are also cousins and between the two of them, there isn't a lot of common sense!

Eventually, they end up getting in over their heads...something you can't help but expect from these mooks! They get a partner and commit a burglary...a caper that goes VERY wrong. First, the place ends up being owned by the mob....oops! Second, during the burglary, a cop accidentally gets killed! So, you can only assume that sooner or later they'll end up in prison or at the bottom of the Hudson River! Can the pair manage, somehow, to avoid either fate?

When I say that the pair are dim, it's not an insult to the actors...this is just the way their parts were written. Robert, in particular, is a fine character actor and I enjoyed see him, curly perm and all, in the film. I must say, however, that he's best in roles as villains. 'Nuff said about that. So is this any good? Yes, though you do find it hard to root for anyone in the film. After all, Charlie and Paulie are jerks and it's hard to sympathize with them. And for some, this might make the story tough to stick with...though it is well written and well made. Never dull and only occasionally misses the mark.

By the way, Paulie's plans to use artificial insemination to breed race horses is one that is impossible. I learned this from a friend in the horse racing industry. To become a registered thoroughbred and eligible to race, a horse cannot be the product of artificial insemination nor embryo transfer....a way, I assume, that they'll keep the industry more exclusive.

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!

I can hardly believe I watched this movie at 56! I am a student of gangster, movies and old school New York City movies. I just love them. It popped up on my feed, and when I hit play, I was instantly hooked. The cinematography transported me back to the vibrant days of old-school Brooklyn and Greenwich Village in NYC. While some of the acting felt a bit shaky, the wild energy of the characters completely drew me in. I was almost ready to give it an eight, but the ending left me wanting more. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend this show! It takes you on an exhilarating ride through the classic gangster era.

The most surprising part? Both of the actors had such short careers in the industry! It's as if Mickie sabotaged himself with his edgy look. As for the other actor, I'm puzzled as to why he didn't achieve greater success. Don't miss out on this unforgettable experience!

"The Pope of Greenwich Village" is one of those movies about "ethnic" guys in New York City who talk really quickly and often repeat themselves. They have big hair, dress better than you'd expect, preen in the mirror, but always seem on the verge of violence.

I guess Scorsese made a cottage industry for himself with these types of movies. Probably it could never be done better than "Mean Streets" or "Goodfellas". The guy who made this one, Stuart Rosenberg, is no Scorsese, and the movie is way over-long.

It feels especially lengthy being that the material is so familiar: a down-on-his-luck working class boy has a ne'er-do-well cousin who tempts him with one big score that ends up deadly when the two clueless lads rob a local mobster, played by Burt Young.

Eric Roberts is a great actor, albeit one with no interest in quality control, but he may have been miscast here. As the cousin he evinces no sympathy, and just seems like a slimeball. Rourke, however, as our protagonist, is right on the money.

With movies like this it's always interesting to see how many of the actors who played wiseguys ended up in "The Sopranos", which seemed to use basically every actor who ever had big hair and a leather jacket on screen. What's interesting is that with this movie, I only counted two - I believe I saw Frank Vincent, who played Phil Leotardo, and of course Burt Young.

The movie comes together with one pretty good scene, but then ends at a moment where the plot should probably keep going. It's an odd affair, an over-long movie that ends too soon.

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.

Okay here is my take..

Premise... awesome! I was in from the start.

Story.. original.. again I'm in!

Actors/Actresses.. please God, stop Eric Roberts!

Overall.. just watch it

Good script. Great on location Lower Manhattan setting. Great acting by everyone not named - wait for it - Eric Roberts. Can't believe other reviewers say he turned in an outstanding acting performance. It's a funny world, I guess. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla. Never met Eric Roberts. Have nothing against him. Totally neutral about his acting in his other movies that I've seen. Not that I can think of any. But, dang, way to ruin a potentially great movie here, bro.

This was a great film to watch. Finding it in the action-section of the videostore, and seeing the cover, I was kinda afraid it would be just another fast-firing action movie. It sure wasn't. Indeed, this film is a story of character, and it is done so well!!!

The story is well written, with great understanding of the characters, and I feel that the same goes for the actors. They seem to understand their characters, and really carry them out. With that I'd have to give just a little more praise to Eric Roberts, than to Mickey Rourke. Both have before and since then proven that they are capable enough, despite their disappointing careers, and, truth be told, some less performances. But the character of Charlie is really a likable guy. He is the voice of reason of the film, the one we would all like to think we recognize in ourselves. While Paulie, on the other hand, is a different story. Portrayed any differently, he could very well be an ass. I mean, if you knew anybody that set you up, cost you your job, didn't ever listen to you, rat you out, lied to you... Would you like that person? Probably not. But Charlie likes Paulie, and the only thing that makes that believable, is the fact that WE like Paulie. Roberts somehow accomplishes to create this totally unreliable character that you just can't help but adore, and sometimes feel sorry for. He's a moron, but he's sweet and he means well, kinda. He looks up to Charlie, who really hasn't accomplished much more in his life, he just carries it better.

And poor Paulie is so annoying that he is endearing. I almost felt his pain when he was being 'interrogated'. Hilarious hairdo, by the way. For Rourke, this was not any new territory, he played this type of character more often. That doesn't mean he didn't do it fabulously, though, he did. Nothing new, but still good. Indeed one of the best performances of his career. That shows you that award shows mean nothing.

Page is also very good, and rightly recognized for it, and Daryl Hannah can't act, but you can't really blame her for trying anyway, since she seems to be getting away with it. And the poor girl really tries.

Do you have a dumb or irresponsible cousin whose antics affect him and those around him? Paulie (Eric Roberts) was that guy. Everything Paulie did was wrong and it always seemed to affect his cousin Charlie (Mickey Rourke).

For a good chunk of The Pope of Greenwich Village I was sour. It looked like another Italian mafia movie with caricatures named Vinnie, Paulie, Sally, and other nicknames. I was thinking, "Haven't we seen enough mafia movies about "rats," "stand up guys," and "the family?" And this one wasn't even worthwhile largely due to Paulie and his string of screw ups.

Then something weird happened. Paulie grew on me. Like a benign tumor that you eventually give a name, Paulie grew on me. I was suddenly interested in his welfare and his relationship with his cousin Charlie. Would they finally get it right or would they go down in a ball of flames? I actually began to care and I actually wanted to know. There had to be something there if the movie succeeded in turning me around.

TPoGV was an exceptional movie after all.

Charlie (Mickey Rourke) is a slick restaurant manager who dreams of owning his own restaurant. His petty criminal cousin Paulie (Eric Roberts) is a waiter. The owner discovers Paulie stealing and fires both of them. Paulie has a scheme to break into a safe. He brings in locksmith Barney and a reluctant Charlie. A cop is killed in the heist. They steal $150k. Charlie is besides himself that Paulie kept the fact that the money belongs to mob boss Bed Bug Eddie (Burt Young) from him. Charlie's girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) tells him that she's pregnant.

Wow! What a performance! The DVD comes with supposed praises like "Explosively funny." (LA Times) and "high-voltage movie that produces tears of laughter" (NY Daily News). The problem is that the movie doesn't come with jokes. The unintentional hilarity all comes from the ridiculous over-the-top Eric Roberts performance. It is an incredible thing to behold and crazier than Al Pacino's Scarface. It almost comes off as a spoof of a gangster movie. One should see this to believe it. I almost didn't believe it.

There really is a lot to this one. A great nostalgia look at New York in the 1980's. Mickey Rourke is at his charming best as a down and out hustler looking to get ahead. Eric Roberts is also at his finest, short of Star 80, as the two-bit hood looking for a get rich quick scheme. Darryl Hannah is charming and lovely in this. The pressure of being out of work and a baby on the way leads to desperate measures. There are a number of great small parts from Sean Penn, Steve Buscemi, and Vincent Gallo. One of the great things about this one, aside from the strong script, the strong performances, the great Direction is the fact that NYC is a co-star in the film and she is great.

Roberts and Rourke and Geraldine Page are stellar here, and the concept - yet another De Niro/ goodfellas etc. Homage - is fine as far as it goes.

You might wish they knew where they wanted to go with it, though.

After the standard caper setup and the standard caper-misfire the movie mostly just runs out the clock.

Pretty entertaining, low-key crime flick. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts play two going-nowhere punks in NYC. Roberts in particular works as a waiter in a club for gangsters and wishes he could be more like them. He overhears things, and picks up some information that he thinks could lead him and his cousin/best buddy Rourke to big money. Of course, everything goes wrong (you'd have to be nuts to try to commit a crime with nutjob Eric Roberts by your side). Rourke is a bit of an overactor, but looks extremely subtle next to Roberts. As bad an actor as Roberts is, though, there's some crazy there that always makes me kind of like his performances. Geraldine Page has a small role and got nominated for an Oscar for it. This is an example of an aging star giving a serviceable character actor performance, and it's nothing special. My choice for best in show would actually be Daryl Hannah as Rourke's girlfriend. She has a couple of really good scenes. Kenneth McMillan is also good as the Irish safe cracker Rourke and Roberts hook up with, and Rocky's Burt Young is good as the mob boss they're ripping off. M. Emmet Walsh also co-stars but doesn't get much to do.

Fans of this film have no problem quoting the dialogue word for word. The acting by the entire cast is brilliant. Mickey Rourke gives an outstanding performance, and I'd put his acting in this film up against any other performances by great actors.

If you haven't seen this, you've got to rent it. I think it's become an overlooked film.

It's Idiotic Performances By Non Italians like Rourke and Roberts trying their worst to stir up every typical sterotypical Italian image possible.

The Pope Of Greenwich Village is an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that combines great direction,amazing performances from Mickey Rourke,Eric Roberts and a terrific supporting cast,a fantastic script and a outstanding film score that make The Pope Of Greenwich an entertaining and memorable film that is Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts at their best.

Based on the novel of the same name by Vincent Patrick and set in the Greenwich Village section of New York,The Pope Of Greenwich Village tells the story of cousins Charlie(Mickey Rourke)and Paulie(Eric Roberts)two guys who have big ambitions Charlie wants to have his own restaurant and Paulie a schemer that wants to make money but the two have financial troubles. With no other options,Charlie and Paulie with the help of clock repairman and locksmith Barney(Kenneth McMillian)decide to rob a safe at a local business. When the robbery goes wrong Charlie and Paulie have to deal Italian Mob Boss Bed Bug Eddie(Burt Young)as well as the cops in order to get out of danger.

Released in 1984,The Pope Of Greenwich Village is a brilliant Crime Drama while earning decent reviews from critics and receiving an Oscar nomination wasn't a hit at the Box Office and didn't get much attention from movie audiences at the time. But,thankfully overtime The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status throughout the years and is not only seen as a great Crime Drama but is also seen as one of the most underrated movies of the 1980s. I think that one of the reasons The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status and is an entertaining film is because the film gives viewers a different kind of Crime Drama that combines Crime Drama,Gangster Film and a Buddy Movie and gives the movie not only a incredible energy that keeps you glued to the screen for 121 minutes. What I also like about The Pope Of Greenwich Village is that despite having all of the trademark elements of Crime Dramas such as vicious Criminals,Gangsters,Cops as well as common elements including violence and betrayal,the story in POGV is handled with a great balance of dark and light elements with the dark elements being the Drama,Gangsters and violence and the light elements being the Comedy and Humor showing the friendship and antics of Charlie and Paulie or Paulie by himself which is funny and at times over the top. Another thing that I like about POGV is the authentic feel of the film whether it's the New York locations throughout the city or neighborhoods or the characters and their streetwise attitudes that don't feel forced or fake but real and accurate. The New York locations and attitudes of the characters at times reminded me of Martin Scorsese's classic Gangster Films such as Goodfellas and Mean Streets(a film that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is often compared to)and like Scorsese's New York City Crime Dramas,POGV brings you into a world that is dangerous,violent and at times funny and you are absorbed and mesmerized. The screenplay by Vincent Patrick(adapted from his own novel)is terrific and well-written with Patrick giving the characters dialog that is tough and gritty as well as rich and amazing with most of the characters having depth and power. Patrick also has great scenes in the film that are memorable and truly unforgettable and match the world and tone that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is showing. Like I said before POGV is a buddy movie and it is very true with the main characters Charlie and Paulie because even if the characters aren't always likable we relate to the two because like a lot of people in the world they are both dreamers and have big aspirations to get what they want whether it's owning a restaurant or making money. While Charlie and Paulie have problems with each other they are still family and care about one another even when bad things are happening all around them and it is the relationship between Charlie and Paulie is one of the things that drives the film and is the film because it's funny,real and true to life. The ending of The Pope Of Greenwich Village is amazing,funny and surprising and leaves with a smile feeling like everything will be alright for Charlie and Paulie in the long run. A great ending.

The whole cast is outstanding. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts are excellent and at their best as Charlie and Paulie,with Rourke bringing a coolness and charisma and Roberts being funny and over the top and the two have great scenes and chemistry together. Daryl Hannah does a wonderful job as Diane,Charlie's girlfriend. Geraldine Page earned a best supporting Actress Oscar Nomination for her small but terrific performance as Mrs. Ritter,Bunky's Mother. Kenneth McMillan is outstanding as Barney,a locksmith that helps Charlie and Paulie. Burt Young is fantastic and menacing as Bed Bug Eddie,a vicious Gangster. M. Emmett Walsh is great as always in his small role as Burns,a New York cop. Tony Mustaine is effective as Uncle Pete,Paulie's Uncle. Jack Kehoe is sensational as Bunky,a New York Cop.

The direction by Stuart Rosenberg is great,with Rosenberg with Rosenberg doing a simple but effective job and sometimes moving the camera and giving the movie a great style and pace. Wonderful job,Rosenberg.

The score by Dave Grusin is fantastic,moody,dramatic and light and matches the tone of the film perfectly. Great score,Grusin. There is also a memorable use of Frank Sinatra's classic song Summer Wind which is used a few times in the film.

In final word,if you love Crime Dramas,Gangster Films,Mickey Rourke or Eric Roberts,I highly suggest you see The Pope Of Greenwich Village,an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that is Rourke and Roberts at their best. Highly Recommended. 10/10.

The Pope Of Greenwich Village is a film that absolutely I can't decide about. I love it for some of the acting, especially Eric Roberts as this hopelessly stupid schemer. But I'm not sure if the makers of this film intended it to be a comedy or a serious drama. It really falls somewhere in between and doesn't come up for air.

I also cannot believe Mickey Rourke's character. He seems intelligent enough, but how he can get involved with this cousin who is not only beyond stupid, but a liar and a con artist to boot?

This latest scheme that Roberts has is a real beauty. He's going to steal some money out of an easy to crack safe and bet it on a horse that he has a really good tip on. That's bad enough, but of course he doesn't tell his partners Kenneth McMillan and Rourke that not only does the money belong to the local Mafia head Burt Young. And it's to be used as police payoff money. So we've got crooks and crooked cops looking for the perpetrators.

The main reason to see The Pope Of Greenwich Village is Roberts. Because you cannot believe how anyone can lie and cheat and doublecross people and have lived as far as he has. Geraldine Page as the mother of a cop killed accidentally (yes accidentally) during the robbery got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but the film such as it is belongs to Eric Roberts.

The film does have some nice location cinematography in Greenwich Village and Little Italy. This is not the Bohemian Village nor is it the Gay Mecca that it is now known for. This is the Greenwich Village that elected Carmine DiSapio, the last great boss of Tammany Hall as its Democratic leader. Little Italy has shrunk considerably, but it's still there.

But after you watch it, mesmerized as you are by Roberts, you'll be scratching your head wondering just exactly what did you see?