Cookie

The usual suspects support Peter Falk and Emily Lloyd in Susan Seidelman's mob comedy. He's coming out of prison after thirteen years and wants his money from Michael Gazzo. She's his illegitimate daughter by Dianne Wiest, a street kid and "famous screwup" who winds up driving for him. Gazzo has no intention of paying him, of course. In fact, Falk is so annoying that Gazzo wants him dead, and with guys like these, the wish is usually father to the deed.

After all ll the Mafia movies of the 1970s came the inevitable reaction in the late 1980s of mob comedies, and this is one of the best of them. Sociologically, these films marked the middle of the Mafia's decline. It seemed every mook flipped for witness protection and a book deal. Newer, more violent gangs were taking over the drug trade, Off Track Betting gutted the bookies, and Waste Management took over garbage collection. Organized Crime was still feared, and the legend persists, but the grandsons of capos now largely run legitimate businesses; they've assimilated.

Jerry Lewis has a sizable role, and Lionel Stander is on view as an aging capo di tutto capi, as are Brenda Vacarro, Adrian Pasdar, and lots of shots of grungy outer boroughs and Atlantic City.

I saw this movie in its original theatrical release in 1989. The US Attorney, 'Richie Sembretto', was played by Bob Gunton, who was just fresh from his Broadway success as Juan Peron in Evita. In the movie, I noticed Gunton's hairstyle - a really bad combover (which I noticed because Gunton had a full of hair, then as now). Being a regular reader and watcher of news, I recognized the real-life basis for this character: the then-US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, who had funny hair even then. Also, "Sembretti" was a full-out publicity hound, as was his prototype Giuliani - it was unmistakable. In '89, this went unnoticed by most critics (at least those outside NYC). I was just wondering whether anybody who sees this in 2020 might pick up on what I'm talking about here ...

By the bye - I kinda liked the movie ...

I am glad that I'm not the only one who is intrigued by Adrien Pasdar (Near Dark). He is very good looking, and has talent a good deal of talent, even though in these type of stereotypical comedies it is difficult to see.

Adrien Pasdar can presently be seen as the D.A in the CBS drama Judging Amy, which is a much better example of his talent and depth. But Adrien Pasdar aside, this is a good comedy. The definitive word here is COMEDY. Don't watch this movie looking for a deeply moving, world changing experience, because you aren't going to find it. Watch instead for a fondness of Peter Falk humor, and enjoy the story of his illegitimate daughter Cookie. Emily Loyd is quite possibly the perfect choice for the role of Cookie, having never seen her before myself, it made it even easier for me to believe she truly was a Brooklyn tough-chick, who's estranged and imprisoned father was a gangster known on the street as Dapper Dino.

At first she's a bit off putting, for one it was the 80's, and the wardrobe chosen for her is made to fit that era and age of the character. But it is still garish and goofy at times. One example, the white dress that she wears to the mafia Christmas party-what was that all about? I suppose they were trying to show her immaturity and to make her final outfit-which is a major improvement-be all the more attractive and satisfying. The actress Emily Loyd is not a raving beauty, which works out for the best because I couldn't see the character Cookie being model gorgeous, but there are several unique elements to her features that give her a strange sort of beauty that is lovely none-the-less. The character Vito (Adrien Pasdar) notices this about Cookie the first time he sees her. Vito is a character I think you'll enjoy. He is that bad boy with a good heart type that strikes a chord in many American women's hearts. I enjoyed the romance element between Vito and Cookie the most, second only to the hilarious events that occur between she and her father throughout the film. There are some things that could have made this film better, but few films are perfect so why split hairs? Enjoy the movie for what it is, an 80's comedy/romance, with the handsome and pleasing Adrien Pasdar...shame he's married.

The title role of Cookie is played by Emily Lloyd and she's showing signs of following in the footsteps of dear old dad Peter Falk who is just finishing a dozen years in prison for labor racketeering. He's got a parole coming up and hopefully Lloyd's juvenile antics won't screw up his parole.

Cookie follows the plot premise of Angels With Dirty Faces where Rocky Sullivan takes a fall for the other guys does a stretch and now wants to move back in. And just like that there are an array of people who don't want him back and a US Attorney Bob Gunton who'd like to send Falk back to the joint.

I have to say I didn't find this as funny as I should have given the cast. I would have expected more from a cast that included Michael V. Gazzo, Lionel Stander, and Jerry Lewis. I should exempt Lewis somewhat, he has a straight dramatic role and does well in it. But it was like I was waiting for Jerry's shtick.

The women do well, besides Lloyd, Falk is torn between two women. Mistress Dianne Weist who is Lloyd's mom and his mafia daughter wife Brenda Vaccaro. Brenda's the best one in the film.

Fans of the players should be happy though.

The movie starts with Carmela 'Cookie' Voltecki (Emily Lloyd) mourning at the funeral of Dominick Capisco (Peter Falk) and then it flashbacks a few months earlier. Cookie is a wild rebellious teen. Her mother Lenore (Dianne Wiest) is the secret mistress of imprisoned gangster and her father Dominick Capisco. He's getting paroled and forces Cookie to get a mob job. She eventually becomes his driver. Bunny (Brenda Vaccaro) is his unhappily mob-marriage wife. He wants his money and get out of the business but his partner Carmine (Michael V. Gazzo) has squeezed him out. U.S. Attorney Richie Segretto (Bob Gunton) has set his sights on Dominick mistakenly assumes him to have returned as a mob boss.

This is directed by Susan Seidelman and written by Nora Ephron and Alice Arlen. This female group has created a mob movie with a few quirks, little tension and even fewer surprises. It's led by two mannered performances from rebellious Emily Lloyd and old tough guy Peter Falk. I like both actors but the movie is rather forgettable. It's not as quirky or funny as it thinks it is. The writing really doesn't have an edge. It has a few action scenes but the intensity is not terribly high. There are better mob comedies elsewhere.