Violence raged on with some 40-odd carbombings & a string of murder/dissappearences, & included well known names like Lips Moceri, Ronnie the Crab Carrabia, Tony Dope Delsanter & Peanuts Tronolone.
There is a great ensemble cast put together for the film. Ray Stevenson plays Danny Greene himself, with Vincent D'Onofrio as John Nardi, the Italian-American mobster that supposedly "couldn't wait" to get made & so allied with Greene against the family. Ex footballer & tough nut Vinnie Jones plays Greene's chief enforcer, an ex Hells Angel.
Christopher Walken plays Shondor Birns, the notorious Jewish loanshark who had a long career an associate of Cleveland mob figures, a real interesting guy. Val Kilmer plays a cop based on Cleveland Police Detective Ed Kovacic, & characters im looking forward to seeing portrayed, Tony Lo Bianco as James "Blackie" Licavoli & Paul Sorvino as Fat Tony Salerno, Cleveland Boss & Genovese Front Boss respectively.
(Some of the) Other mobsters being portrayed are Leo "Lips" Moceri (Mike Star), Frank Brancato (Vinny Vella Sr) Tommy Sinito (Grant Krause) & Ray Ferrito (Robert Davi)
Steve "Baccala" Schirripa, Fionula Flanagan, Anthony "Tony Darrow/Larry Boy Barese" Borghese. I would have seen it anyway, but theres alot of actors i like in this.
I am disappointed that this film is not being released more on a national level. I plan to see it soon and am hoping that it does well. Looks like a very interesting film and a sad chapter in the history of my city.
Among others, this film has Paul Sorvino, Val Kilmer, and the actor who played Bobby Baccalieri from "Sopranos."
what i am sure about is that we will see this movie here in 2012, it was the same shit with Chicago Overcoat. It was released in the US in 2009, and we got to see/buy it in 2010.
what i am sure about is that we will see this movie here in 2012, it was the same shit with Chicago Overcoat. It was released in the US in 2009, and we got to see/buy it in 2010.
You don't have to wait to buy the film to see it though.
Saw "Kill the Irishman" last night. I thought it was pretty good and nearly everyone who likes the mob genre will enjoy it. It was a good story, but some of the artistic license was (at times) unnecessary.
The TV actor who played John Nardi and Christopher Walken as Shondra Burns were excellent. Never had seen the actor who played Danny Greene. Plus there was a minor role by Paul Sorvino and the actor who was the warden in "Shawshank Redemption." Surprise, surprise but the warden actor was also a prick in "Kill the Irishman."
Not as great as "Goodfellas," but on par with "Donnie Brasco."
It isn't available yet as far as I can check. We Europeans have to wait at least a couple of months before we can see it. Maybe if the film does well if will come out in cinema here also.
When the film is available on Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S., we Europeans don't necessarily have to wait till it comes out here.
it musta been released somewhere just watched an excelent version of it on loombo. good movie but i def see where people was saying its like donnie brasco. focuses much more on dramatics and reconstructes and dramatizes real life events. if anyone wants the link to this pm me. the version i watched kept refering to the title as "the bulletproof gangster" was this a first run title or something? anyone know?
I saw it yesterday, its a good movie. But nowhere near Donnie Brasco, they could have done a better job. And a question about Nardi, wassnt he just a low ranking figure? Instead of the second/third man after Scalish?
I saw it yesterday, its a good movie. But nowhere near Donnie Brasco, they could have done a better job. And a question about Nardi, wassnt he just a low ranking figure? Instead of the second/third man after Scalish?
i thought this too and where was angelo lonardo? it didnt seem like he was in there much or maybe i didn't catch him or he was too jumbled in the character line to notice.
yeah mukreim i think i hyped myself up way to much for this movie. i did the same thing with True Grit earlier this year. decent movie but def did not live up to my expecations.
Like the title says, its all about the Irishman, make him more then he ever was. And put the Italians in a corner, like little girls. What do you think of the conversation Salerno had with Licavoli?
i liked paul sorvino. he alwzays does a good job. but the convo itself was underplayed. i know in real life it prob did not go that way lol. you did bring up a good point. it's all about the irishman lol. i liked the background of this story perhaps because i'm irish and lived in cleveland for a little bit. i just really think they could have done a much better job. my first thought was wow they didn't go into any detail explaining this shit like goodfellas and casino. i feel bad for someone who tries to watch this movie that knows nothing of the true story...they will totally lost.
I agree, hes a legend as far as i am concerned. But the conversation was shit, the movie itself is cool. A top movie, but only after the likes of Donnie Brasco, certainly better then Chicago Overcoat, Mobsters, etc and all those B movies. I am getting more and more interested in Irish mob movies, seen a lot of them.
Umm let me see, Departed is one. Town, and the Boondock Saints series.Witness Protection is a nice one. One last Ride is a good movie. I have a couple more, but cant remember the names. I will search.
By the way, most of them arent as good as Departed. But hey, i like any mob movie, be it Italian or Irish.
ok i enjoyed the town i didn't really classify it as mob movie although it did have mob elements with the guy in the flower shop and i do believe that the back drop of the story was based on true events. not to that degree though. for some reason im not on the whole boondock saints trip as everyone else. thought they were so unbelievable. i will check out the others. i think its hard to compare a movie to the departed. thats another one i can watch over and over.
Problem with The Departed is it went way too far with the plot. It really took out the reality factor for me. And I was especially annoyed with DiCaprio's character having an affair with Damon's girlfriend. What are the odds of that? What I did like was Nicholson. His fucking performance is the movie.
I've seen the film last night and I'm slightly dissappointed. I was never expecting a film as good as those of Scorsese or Donnie Brasco, which is one of my favorites. But I did expect it to be less flashy and to have more depth in the plot and more character development.
What's bad about this film is that it's way too fast and it felt more like a big trailer than a movie. It's also too romanticized and glorifying. For instance, they way he got those chicks looked pretty ridiculous.
But what's really good about the movie is the casting, which is excellent.
The acting is overall good. But considering the casting of the film they could have done so much more with this. And that's too bad, although it's likely due to a limited budget.
It's an enjoyable film, but don't expect too much of it or otherwise it will be a let-down. However, I would still recommend it to those who like the genre.
This was a surprisingly good and engaging film, and I can't imagine any other movie that quite captures the decadent grittiness of the 70's, as well as this one. Remember all those depressing "earth" colors, the bleak rust-belt urban landscapes, and all those huge American "land yachts" that became such dinosaurs after the first gas crisis.... like the Ford LTD, Gran Torino, Lincoln, and Coupe Deville? Ray Stevenson in the lead is very convincing and sympathetic, and even the well-known actors all have a certain seedy, over-the-hill quality about them... from a self-parodying Cristopher Walken, to an obviously "older" and overweight Val Kilmer.
I also found it to be a great flick. Ray Stevenson does an amazing job as Danny Greene, the under-dog taking La Cosa Nostra along with Nardi, played by D'Onofrio. Christopher Walken as Shondor Birns, he has a style and flair he brings to any character, it's Walken's thing. Great storyline and alot of explosions, you'll be suprised by how many stars are actually in this movie.
So get this. Me & the missus get into a huge fight over bills & money (the usual shit eh?) A bit later she realizes her Student Allowance has indeed been cut off, likea I was sayin'. She feels sheepish, so she goes on to BTJunky, & downloads I good copy for me...! Then she rubs my back & gives me a massage with happy ending (wink wink) while Im watchin it! How awesome!!1!
Seriously, I LOVE that woman. Anyhoo, I really dug the movie. Sure, it aint no Goodfellas, but it tried & came pretty close. Ray Stevenson had a stellar turn. & i loved seeing Fat Tony & Blackie Licavoli finally brought to screen. There's a scene before he dies where Danny Greene passes on a Celtic medallion to a small kid, given to him by Fionula Flannagan in a as-per-usual great performance, that goes a way into humanising Greene. It's a great movie if you follow LCN & have an active interest in the history, & a decent enough movie for the average, as my girlfriend will attest. She liked it too, & doesnt know Carlo Gambino from a vibrator!!
what I really liked in Danny Greene is that despite the fact that he was in the gang, killed people, he still remained fair, evidenced by the many scenes, such as when he chastised his friend for that he still continued to gamble; scene with bikers and his act when he helped a neighbor with money for rent...
well thats typical for italian gangsters to, they help people in the neighbourhood. No crime whatsoever in the streets. Its a common thing with gangsters, that way they feel that they do some good after all. A way to wash their sins
This is ON-Demand here on Comcast in philly. I am sure you can see anywhere on Comcast. I saw it this weekend. I did like it...but to compare it to Goodfellas...I just don't see it. Goodfellas is my favorite movie ever though! I think it gives you the most realistic look. I also watched goodfellas this weekend so maybe thats not fair. Also, I thought they took to many liberties in certain scenes. But I did really enjoy it..one of the better mob films in recent years. Its under Indie on Demand so Im thinking that its going to be like that 10th and wolf movie but it was so much better then that. AT times it did move fast but all and all it was good. I didn't like a couple of the Italian characters but I would watch it again.
I have to say that I was surprised at how much I liked this movie. If half the stuff in that movie is true, and from what the board is saying, it sounds like it (even the death scene seemed pretty on spot), this Irishman was one tough S.O.B.
This movie would be good if it wasnt for the romantic way in which they portrayed him and also the bag pipes were annoying after a bit theyd play it every time this guy had some sort of ethnic pride moment which there was no need for. They killed christopher walkens character off to quickly. Private Pyles character was good though. When he was stabbing the geeza in the trunk whilst talking .That shit was classic. Up there with my favourite f***king someone up scenes ever.
"State of Grace" was one of the last films to be shot on the west side prior to the gentrification of the '90s. For that alone, it's worth watching. Especially for you non New Yorkers out there who want to see what Manhattan looked like prior to the total yuppification of the borough. Just about all of the old Irish gin mills are either Starbucks or condos today. No offense, but people in middle America watch crap like "Sex and the City" and think Manhattan's always been like that. Less than a generation ago the borough had quite a few blue collar people living there. They're pretty much gone for good now .
"State of Grace" was one of the last films to be shot on the west side prior to the gentrification of the '90s. For that alone, it's worth watching. Especially for you non New Yorkers out there who want to see what Manhattan looked like prior to the total yuppification of the borough. Just about all of the old Irish gin mills are either Starbucks or condos today. No offense, but people in middle America watch crap like "Sex and the City" and think Manhattan's always been like that. Less than a generation ago the borough had quite a few blue collar people living there. They're pretty much gone for good now .
Not for good, one day the yuppies will be gone too.
Not for good, one day the yuppies will be gone too.
Maybe some day, Sonny. But for now, a studio apartment in that area is going for almost $2000 a month . So many people who grew up in that area have been completely displaced, and the same thing is going on in Harlem now. It's a shame.
Not for good, one day the yuppies will be gone too.
Maybe some day, Sonny. But for now, a studio apartment in that area is going for almost $2000 a month . So many people who grew up in that area have been completely displaced, and the same thing is going on in Harlem now. It's a shame.
I understand what you're saying PB. It's a sad thing to see something like this happen if you lived in the area for most of you're life.
Just saw the movie. It was interesting, but Licavoli seems to be portrayed very differently from the book the movie was based on. If I remember correctly, in the book it is said he wasn't particularly ambitious to become the boss and sometimes behaved like a complete idiot (switched price tags on pants in a shop, used stolen credit cards etc).
Kill the Irishman was good. Not near the same level as Goodfellas or Donnie Brasco. But it was still entertaining. It really made all the gangsters look like idiots, especially the Italians, in my opinion. I didn't appreciate that part, it seemed pretty one-sided. But I realize it wasn't a biography or documentary.
If you like more Irish Mob movies, you can also check out one called Madso's War. It's alright.
It was cool to see some other Mafia families have a bit of a story told about them too, and their connections with the Genovese Family in NY under Salerno. As a side point, the Cleveland family under Scalish was the same crew referred to in the Godfather 2 by Hymen Roth as the Lakeview Road Boys (really the Mayfield Road Mob). This Cleveland family, with the help of their Teamsters connections, was the one the controlled the Stardust Casino, and these guys, along with a few other families (Detroit, Milwaukie, St. Louis, Chicago Outfit) are portrayed in Scorsese's Casino. Interesting connections, I thought.
I got this as soon as it came out my gf got it for me and I love this movie.its a great movie jus wish it would have followed the book more.and I mean the original book by porrello
Love this movie, have yet to read the book but this happened about 40 minutes away from me near Cleveland. My uncles wifes dad was good friends with John Nardi as well..I thought that was pretty awesome
It's alright. I own the DVD and solely like it because of my love for OC flicks. It does progress to fast though, I would've liked to see more emphasis placed on characters like John Scalish, Lips Moceri, and the brute from Danny's crew (who's name escapes me). John Scalish is literally shown in one scene at the beginning before it's announced he died. Moceri wasn't even a major part of the movie, the only Italians who got that shine were Nardi & Licavoli. And the NY scene with Fat Tony really annoyed me, I wanted more.
The best part about this movie, if you own the DVD, is the documentary that comes with it. Now that's good, the cop that grew up with Danny does most of the interviews and gives a good insight, from his view anyway, of who Danny was and what he did for the Irish neighborhood. The Hells Angels scene in the film, is completely true according to the documentary, which in itself is pretty badass.
The movie could have been better with a bigger budget.They changed so much of the original story that stood on its own. 80% of the Irishman is inaccurate I wish they would have interviewed some guys that were part of Greene's crew that are still alive..i.e McTaggert and O'Donnell. Carrabia is still alive was released from prison. The Ed Kovacic interviews are interesting.But he gave more info thorough Cleveland Magazine.
The movie could have been better with a bigger budget.They changed so much of the original story that stood on its own. 80% of the Irishman is inaccurate I wish they would have interviewed some guys that were part of Greene's crew that are still alive..i.e McTaggert and O'Donnell. Carrabia is still alive was released from prison. The Ed Kovacic interviews are interesting.But he gave more info thorough Cleveland Magazine.
That would have been better! I would like to see who some of those guys were.
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i dont want to wait any longer, Sonny.. You found anything yet?
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