De l'autre côté de Manhattan

I never really had any true friends when I was growing up (I was weird, okay), but I know that the best friends are the ones who stay around. "Queens Logic", an under-looked , sleeper indie film (unless you look really hard in the discount DVD bins) starring a name cast, proves that in the largest borough of New York City.

Wedding jitters plague Ray (Ken Olin of "thirtysomething" and a producer of "Alias"), since he's a talented painter born and residing in Queens, and is about to marry longtime sweetheart Patty (Chloe Webb) a hairdresser with a philosophical outlook. His other pals from childhood, fish marketer cousin Al (the talented Joe Mantegna of "Criminal Minds"), Al's right-hand man Eliot (John Malkovich of "Changeling"), visiting musician Dennis (Kevin Bacon) and working actor Vin (Tony Spiridakis, who co-wrote the film with Joey Savino) help him out by throwing a decent bachelor's party (men and women invited), but they each have their problems.

Despite his jester charm, Al's Peter Pan persona irritates his frustrated wife Carla (the sexy Linda Fiorentino); Eliot's a homosexual who has no desire to play "the love game"; Dennis's still struggling on making it big in Los Angeles and Vin gets one-night stands but no romance. Adulthood: IT SUCKS! But not this film.

Director Steve Rash ("The Buddy Holly Story", "Can't Buy Me Love" and the two DTV sequels to "Bring It On") is competent, but the actors help out more, pumping the tale with humanity, especially Mantegna's breezy, arrested development demeanor, Malkovich's non-stereotypical attitude and Webb's down to earth perspective. Also entertaining is Jamie Lee Curtis as a high society dame, who gives Al a lesson about maturity in a colorful way, and rocker Tom Waits as a gravel-voiced but likable lowlife associate of the gang. Look for a pre- "Will & Grace" Megan Mullany as a drunken conquest of Vin's. The film's soundtrack is littered with rock and disco tunes from the 1970s, the decade the guys grew up.

Likable, poignant, sly, funny and a love letter to its' backdrop (Queens's Hellgate Bridge is prominent here), "Queens Logic" reminds us, despite how we grow up or wherever we are in our lives, the neighborhood we grew up is part of us and vice versa, and the best friends we have reminds us of that.

Queens Logic is an excellently written film about a bunch of late thirty somethings who are still trying to figure out how to get their act together. I worry that this film is only going to be accepted locally (i.e. New York, Long Island target audience) when it really has a multitude of universal levels to it. The acting was brilliant--absolutely brilliant, from Kevin Bacon to Linda Fiorentino, Joe Mantegna and John Malkevich. The actors really understood these complex characters (Malkevich is SO good once again it's scary). And the writing and direction could not have been better for these roles. Congratulations for writing a script with so many thoughtful, intelligent and original characters which reflect so well on the time and all of our struggles to figure out what it is that makes us happy--and to do it so humorously as well. This is one of those rare very smart and very funny films. Like I said though, people who are not necessarily from the New York area may not buy or believe these characters, but I guarantee you there are so many people like them. Guarantee it. They're great people with same problems as everyone else. They just choose to deal with them on their own terms and in the best format they know how: with Queens logic.

Steve Rash's "Queens Logic" isn't a movie that most people will know, but it's worth seeing. The focus is a group of friends who get together in Astoria, New York, for one's upcoming wedding. Over the course of the movie, the characters reveal some surprising things about themselves, and at least one scene is bound to get your heart racing.

It's not a great movie by any stretch, further weakened by the fact that the director later helmed straight-to-DVD sequels to "American Pie", "Bring It On" and "Road Trip". Nonetheless, it's a fun movie that truly gives one a sense of New York. It's the sort of movie that you'll enjoy.

In Queens, a group of friends prepares a bachelor party for their childhood friends Ray (Ken Olin) and Patricia (Chloe Webb); however Ray has cold feet and is insecure whether there will be wedding. During the party, there are discoveries for most of them. Al (Joe Mantegna), who is married with Carla (Linda Fiorentino) with two daughters, is a womanizer and meets the wealthy Grace (Jamie Lee Curtis) that teaches him a lesson. The musician Dennis (Kevin Bacon), who seems to be proud of living in Hollywood, confesses that he misses the Queens. The gay Eliot (John Malkovich) gets rid of Jeremy (Terry Kinney) and stays with his friend Marty (Michael Zelniker). Ray meets the gorgeous Asha (Jenny Wright) and finds what he wants.

In 2016, "Queens Logic" is a nostalgic film about male bonding, friendship and love. The story is simple but entertaining and it is so good to see again Jenny Wright, Linda Fiorentino, Jamie Lee Curtis and other actors and actresses young and all together. My vote is seven.

Title (Brail): "Entre Amigos" ("Among Friends")

Sentimental, nostalgic and supposedly authentic portray of some people and their relations with great music (Joe Jackson et al.) around a wedding under Hellgate Bridge in Queens. Anger, frustration and ideals reach the surface as we get to know these figures. One of them gives the advice: 'Wanna be happy for the rest of your life? Fall in love with your wife.' Probably the best advice a young man whose dreams don't come together can get.

Tom Waits was two years later in Altman's 'Short Cuts' that also deals with several relationships and has no plot. Short Cuts however is more solid and intelligent. This movie is not exceptional in any way, but I've seen it three times already because I think it's a nice movie with good acting about a day in the lives of some young people and that makes me feel good.

The chosen music tells about half of the story. That's a very good choice of director Rash, especially since there is no real plot. SO, if you're a person who needs a plot, then don't watch this movie. In that case try 'Chinatown' instead, or 'the Maltese Falcon'. Or kick in another open door :)

I don't understand why so few people like this film. But then again I also liked Jade (Friedkin, 1995) and Last Seduction (Dahl, 1994): plotfilms with suspense. Maybe it's just because I like common denominator Linda Fiorentino very much. There is no challenging intellectual material in Queens Logic.

8/10