O Dono do Pedaço

Early 90's rendition of Hal Ashby's 1970 film "The Landlord," which is given the comic...or attempted comic treatment by Pesci as a snobby slumlord who moves in to his slum and sees the light; the error of his rich boy ways. Badly written and unbeliveable pretty much all the way through. One of Gardenia's final films.

New York slum lord Joe Pesci is sentenced to stay in the apartment complex he owns until he makes all the repairs the building needs. If he does not do this in four months time, he will go to prison. A really silly little film that shows Pesci learning how the other half lives with results that are suspect at best. A bit uneven and definitely second-rate, the only attraction here is Pesci. 2 stars out of 5.

For real. Have a little sense of humor about this one. Obviously it does not contain realistic elements and the acting of some of the characters didn't give their brightest performances but it's more a show than a movie. I classify movies as films that are to be taken seriously precluding to aspects like acting, filming, dialogue, original comedy, killer special effects..etc whatever it may be because the people affiliated with the making are striving to find a way to discover the next best flick. I classify shows as films that are made strictly just to entertain us. The Super is a comedy and it made me laugh hysterically just watching Pesci's physical acting. The dad was hilarious. A lot of people say he did terrible. Why? He was an arrogant slumlord and a big old asshole that had mercy for not a soul. Reminds me of my Uncle Jimmy from Boston. His angry bantering and selfish statements were so funny and in my mind authentic. The main actress? Eh whatever were watchin Pesci just to belly laugh.

So don't pay attention the shitty elements that most critics cap on but just sit down, hit the bong, and see if you don't pee in your pants laughing at the awesome talents of Joe Pesci. GIMME THE RENT!

The joke is a bigoted slumlord forced to live in his own building. Joe Pecci is excellent as "The Super", who gets a real education from his tenants. His red Corvette is stripped the first night. He is constantly hustled by his neighbors. Scenes such as when he goes to the local grocery to buy wine, or when his elegant girlfriend visits his dumpy apartment, are classic comedy. Vincent Gardenia as Peci's overbearing father, is a role not unlike the one he played in "Fire Sale". "The Super" is sort of a cross between "Fire Sale" and Mel Brooks "Life Stinks". The movie definitely is re watchable, and most likely will seem even funnier on repeat viewings. Highly recommended, especially for those who appreciate dark comedy. - MERK

Vincent Gardenia (inhis last screen role) is a slumlord who taught his son, Joe Pesci their tenants are animals: collect rents and put nothing into the buildings. But the City has caught up to them, and it's one of the buildings in Pesci's name, so he is the one sentenced to occupy an apartment there and to bring it up to code. And so we meet his tenants, and they are just as much stereotyped jerks as he is. In the face of this, he has no incentive to do anything but squat in misery when Gardenia tries to put the fix in.

Of course we know going in that Pesci will have a change of heart by the end, and it has to arise from somewhere: there's the welfare lawyer Madelyn Smith Osborne, whom Pesci propositions every time they speak, and 13-year-old Kenny Blank, who lives with his father and hustles in a sweet-faced manner, and gives the most endearing performance in the movie. In the meantime, Pesci is stuck with the unenviable task oif taking a thoroughly unlikeable character, having him kicked repeatedly for the audience's amusement, and still have the audience on his side as he finally reforms. Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton had managed this in a few of their features in the 1920s, but it's a tough thing to manage,, especially given that for the first time in his career, Pesci is the lead..

I don;t think this movie succeeds in its ambitions, but there are certainly enough good moments to keep the audience entertained.