Premiers pas dans la Mafia

Hilarious comedy from the talented Andrew Bergman about a New York film student who meets and falls in line with a "Godfather," lookalike...played by "The Godfather," himself, Brando in a wonderfully juicy role. Broderick is good, as always along with a great supporting cast of Kirby and Miller.

"The Freshman" (1990) stars Matthew Broderick as a freshman film school student in New York City. Desperate for money, he's hired by the local Godfather-type who just so happens to look and act exactly like Vito Corleone from the famous '72 Coppola film, probably because the character is played by the inimitable Marlon Brando. Penelope Ann Miller plays the daughter of the Mafia don, Bruno Kirby a fast-talking con and Maximilian Schell a curious chef of exotic foods.

This is a unique crime dramedy, which I found okay on my initial viewing, but liked better on my second, probably because I utilized the subtitles and could make out Brando's mumbling dialogue. Broderick was still in his 20s and shines as the wide-eyed protagonist, but Brando naturally steals the show. It's not great, but it's amusing enough and wins points for its peculiarities, like the komodo dragon.

The film runs 102 minutes and was shot in New York City and Ontario.

GRADE: B

Directed by Andrew Bergman. Starring Matthew Broderick, Marlon Brando, Penelope Ann Miller, Bruno Kirby, Frank Whaley, Maximilian Schell, Paul Benedict, Jon Polito, Richard Gant, Kenneth Welsh, BD Wong. (PG)

NYU student Broderick, almost literally "straight off the bus," finds himself entangled in the business of Carmine Sabatini, who happens to look and act an awful lot like Vito Corleone from "The Godfather" (and happens to be played by Marlon Brando). Enjoyable comedy starts out as a sparkling winner, and despite losing its way a bit in the second half with twists/secrets that tarnish the spontaneity and wryness of those early scenes, emerges as a very amusing and very likable comedy. Unexpectedly genteel considering all the criminal insinuations one would expect; rather than deal with the standard Mafia-style larceny & thuggery business, it instead centers on the smuggling (and worse) of endangered animals. Nice turns from the entire cast, especially shifty Kirby (whose presence is all-too-diminished in the last act) and loopy Brando, who could have easily botched the parody but instead inspires smiles pretty much every time he's onscreen. Not a classic, but still an undervalued gem.

75/100

Word has it that Brando wasn't happy with the movie, but it's hard to see why. Bergman's ham-fisted humor hits the mark a lot more of the time than usual, the ensemble cast is fine (Matthew Broderick is always best in these kinds of settings, at least when it comes to movies), and the one major anachronistic gaffe (no mafia boss would have a photo of Mussolini in a place of honor on the wall - he locked 'em up and they hated him) is harmless in context.

But Brando is what makes the movie special: like a sprinkling of something heavenly on an otherwise earthbound enterprise. He's done far more brilliant work elsewhere, of course, but I can't think of another movie that caught just what a uniquely odd presence he was.

I'll say it again: As graceful and charming a performance as he ever gave. RIP, big man.

This is a very funny movie that casts Matthew Broderick as a new-to-the-city college kid who gets mixed up with a shady character named Vic right after he arrives. Through a series of events, he becomes involved with Vic's family, which include Uncle Carmine and his daughter Tina.

Everyone is perfectly suited to his role and even Brando appears to be having a lot of fun with his own image. The supporting cast is worth mentioning - especially Paul Benedict as an obnoxious college professor, and Maximillian Shell as a business associate of Carmine Sabatini.

This is ultimately a touching movie about loyalty and family, and it sure is fun.

You even get to see the Mona Lisa if you watch this movie!