Les chaînes du sang

Right from the get-go, this thing is off the chain! Paul Sorvino and Tony Lo Bianco play two "bruddas from Noo Yawk" who work in construction and are getting drunk. Richard Gere, who actually seems like a real person and not a caricature of a New York Italian, gives the best performance.

So much swearing for a movie that I taped off of Turner Classic Movies in the wee hours of the morning! Nothing against swearing but I can't believe I taped it off of Turner Classic Movies! There's a hilariously over the top scene with Tony Lo Bianco's wife and their younger son...I just sat there with my mouth open. My hat's off to the actors but maybe the director should have reigned them all in a little, it comes off a little too hysterical...or maybe that's just how it is in Italian households? That's just my opinion but check it out for yourself. If nothing else, you'll laugh inappropriately like I did.

I was entertained throughout though, every scene is special in that it could be it's own short film. I felt like they were adapting the book chapter by chapter. If you like this time period and the movies from then, you will want to see it.

Kim Milford, the greatest actor of the latter half of the 20th century, and all around American icon turns in the most under rated performance of his career. Milford, star of the classic Sci Fi film "LASERBLAST" is not held down by the weaknesses of co-star Richard Gere. In fact, the brilliance of Milford's artistry is elevated by the fact that no other actor in the film can match him.

This is an unfair criticism of Gere, since the only actor of Milford's caliber is the legendary Michael Tedesco, who's portrayal of such characters as Jellyroll and Tbob elevate him to the same level as Milford.

One must wonder how this film would have turned out if Milford was not cast. Milford, who would also be burdened with Mark Hammill in Corvette Summer has shown a long tradition of carrying films to greatness that would otherwise be destined for failure.

First I have to say that the novel Bloodbrothers by Richard Price is one of my alltime favorite books. Usually Hollywood has to make changes to make a movie viable , but in this one changing the book's ending kind of negated the novel's point. This is about a blue collar Bronx family with a long line of tradition as construction workers. Richard Gere in one of his first leading roles plays the sensitive older son who wants to work with children. His macho father, well played by Tony Lo Bianco, pressures him to work construction.Lo Bianco's tyrant character has made his whole family miserable, yet he is never played as a stereotype. The entire cast is good but at times it plays like a blue collar soap opera. If you haven't read the book, the film's highly charged emotions may hit home.

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I just watch Bloodbrothers for the first time and I was quite impressed that the individual stories of each of the six (6) De Coco family members struck me as very real and heart felt. The two (2) senior middle aged De Coco male family members brothers Tommy (Tony Lo Bianco) and Chubby (Paul Sorvino) were especially well acted.

Tommy DeCoco's family is comprised of his troubled and mentally unstable wife Phyllis (Yvonne Wilder), and their two sons, ten (10) year old Albert (Michael Hershewe) who lives in fear of his mother's continued insistance that Albert is too thin and must eat more, and their adult 22 year old son Stony (Richard Gere) who is on the cusp of making the biggest decision in his young life, which is his chosen career path. Stony's father Tommy wants his son Stony to follow in his Italian heritage work path which is in construction, but what Stony really wants to do is to work with young children, most likely as an extension of the love and care he outwardly provides continually to his younger and troubled little brother Albert.

Tommy's brother Chubby, (Paul Sorvino) is filled with life and much love for his brother Tommy's entire family. In a very sombre moment in the middle of the film Chubby shares with the local wheelchair bound barkeeper Banion (Kenneth McMillan) why him and his wife do not have any children of their own and why Chubby is so deeply attached to his brother Tommy's two (2) children.

There are also strong supporting roles by actors Yvonne Wilder, Kenneth McMillan, Kristen DeBell, Floyd Levine, and Marilu Henner. The interaction between Richard Gere and Marilu Henner helped both actors lead very succesful subsequent film careere.s Although the film runs for less than two (2) hours in length there is a lifetime of memories to capture our attention. Two such memorable examples are the birthday celebration of barkeeper Banion, and the family trip by car that everyone has to wear their Sunday best for as Tommy and Chubby surprise their respective families with what they have purchased for their families future use.

This is a film that is a classic and is worthy of a much higher IMDB rating. Maybe some families just cannot face reality, I for one embrace both the love and hardship almost all blue collar families are confronted with in our daily lives.

I give Bloodbrothers a most deserving 9 out of 10 rating

Apparently there are those who feel that the changes made to the novel on which Bloodbrothers is based render the film version less than a classic. Ironic since the Academy bestowed a nomination on the film for Best Adapted Screenplay. But I think this film is still very worthwhile to view.

Tony LoBianco and Paul Sorvino play a pair of middle aged 40 something brothers who cut loose and act like juveniles on the weekend. Especially at Kenneth McMillan's bar where all kinds of bragging about all kinds of things about length and volume take place.

Sorvino is a laid back soul and unlikely to grow up since he's not married and has no reason to grow up. But LoBianco rules a tyrannical household where his wife Leila Goldini is continually afraid and his younger son Michael Hershawe is anorexic from not eating. His oldest son Richard Gere is not sure that he wants to become an electrician like his father and uncle and the grandfather before them.

Two things are impressive about the brothers. Both believe in the value of the dollar and being good providers. Both also are true to their trade and take pride in their work. That's a thing rarer and rarer these days. LoBianco's lecture to Gere is one of the best scenes in the film I felt.

Sad to say there are some less desirable qualities in them, especially LoBianco. The fact that he is the family breadwinner makes him feel he's king of the castle with the rights of royalty to maybe even get a bit of something on the side. When Goldini finds proof of that it sets in motion a train of events that brings down the DeCoco family.

He's got the showiest role and the most to work with in developing a character, but Tony LoBianco really steals this one. Big surprise to me that he was not put into Oscar contention. LoBianco goes through quite a range of emotions with his DeCoco brother. And it's all a mystery to him that he's got the problems he has in his household because his father sure didn't.

By the way note that Richard Gere seems to have the same kind of issues with his family in the Bronx that John Travolta has with his Brooklyn based family. Of course Travolta's Tony Manero comes a lot less dysfunctional group, but the Maneros and DeCocos have a lot of similarities.

It might not be the book that others have read and cite. But Bloodbrothers is fine drama if disconcerting.