Two Family House

A good story, very ethnic, in that new york/Staten island, working class kind of way, circa 1950s.

I started watching this on HBO and sat through to the end. This is a story told by a narrator looking back on the unexpected events that lead up to his life. The characters are all very strong and believable, and you find yourself identifying with them, even if you didn't want to at first. Not a fast action flick, but easy to follow on a slow Sunday afternoon, which is what it was when i saw it. If you like nice narratives, gradual plot development, and sweet, unanticipated turns, this is a film to see.

Raymond DeFelitta, the director of the current release, "The Thing About my Folks", working with his own material, created this wonderful film, which should be seen more often. Unfortunately, when this film first came out, it had wonderful notices, but alas, it disappeared too soon for us to catch up with it. Thanks to HBO, the film was shown recently and it proved to be worthy of the praise we had heard about.

The story takes place in the fifties. The characters at the center of the film, are basically Italian-Americans living in Staten Island. Buddy and Estelle Visalo, are the owners of a two family house in need of repairs. The upstairs apartment has been rented to an Irish couple, Mary and Jim, who are going through a rough moment in their lives.

Buddy, with the help of his friends from the tavern that is the social meeting point of the neighborhood, is trying to evict the couple upstairs, after it's clear they are up to no good and can't pay the rent. It proves to be too late because Mary begins her labor pains and Estelle, who doesn't like the woman, helps in the delivery. But horror of horrors, the little baby proves to be much more than what Mary was expecting, and Jim abandons her.

The Italian landlord develops a friendship toward Mary, who he succeeds in evicting, but feels terribly about it. He rescues her from the flea bag hotel where she is staying since her own sister doesn't want her. Buddy finds, and pays, for an apartment for Mary and her son. It's clear that Buddy and Mary go from a friendship into a relationship that will change their lives forever.

The film works because the charismatic work of Michael Rispoli, who as Buddy, is a man with a heart of gold. Mr. Rispoli is an actor that is always good, no matter what character he plays. Also the movie has an inspired performance by Kelly MacDonald. Ms. MacDonald does good work as Mary. The supporting cast, Kartherine Narducci, Kevin Conway, Matt Servitto, Vincent Pastore, and the rest, are perfect.

We look forward future endeavors by Raymond DeFelitta, who proves with this film he can tell a story that involves the viewer in more ways than some others. "Two Family House" is a small movie, with a big heart!

The most wonderful thing about nostalgia, is the pathos. I didn't watch this film with the belief that "This was the way things were"--rather, I enjoyed the story of Everyman: The wide eyed dreamer with little chance of success. A man whose comfort zone included failure-he was happy with: "I could have been..."

I like misty-eyed forays into Post War America- my childhood was directly shaped by this era. I realize that people were only so different, but the "way of life" was drastically different- Maybe thats what makes nostalgia so attractive: The loss of youth.

At one time small stories on film were common-nowadays we only get to see them on the indy film award circuit. Unfortunately that in itself has come to imply "Great Film"...How about "good film". Would people then watch it to enjoy, instead of honor?

I like many things about this movie, not the least is a cast of nearly unknowns. Being from the western US, the community of Staten Island was completely unknown to me and a departure from the New York I've seen in depicted in most movies. I found the story, while not startlingly original, well told and the characters mostly believable. I reluctantly have to admit that some characters -- especially the fifties housewives -- are more stereotypical than I would have liked, comporting with most east coast Italian coming of age movies we all have seen.

I was delighted that the story stopped short of being maudlin while still telling a story with a moral about perseverance and risk taking. I think others will find the story to be believable and wonderful.

This film produces laughs and sighs by presenting the very believable antagonism of two working class ethnic groups in what then was New York City's rural borough, Staten Island. As in life generally there isn't a happy ending for all involved in relationships that are jarred by the real bigotry directed against an Irish immigrant who bore a black child while married to a drunkard of the first water (or whiskey).

While Mary is clearly victimized, physically and psychologically, by her boorish Lushington of a husband the symbolic violence is the attitude of the Italian men and women who accept without thinking stereotypes of blacks and Irish. Their comfort in the supposed security of their shared little world was then and is now the hallmark of daily bias in America.

The acting is superb. So what if Mary is gorgeous and Buddy average (a safe euphemism). Gregory Peck in a working class Staten Island neighborhood you're not going to find (hmm, is THAT a stereotypical remark?).

Rent this film! It's terrific!!