This film was a sleeper!! A good little crime drama written by William DeMeo that flew under the mainstream cinematic radar. I felt the storyline was strong enough to carry the film in a realistic vibrancy without being corny and stupid. The relationship between the brothers, and people residing inside their very neighborhood seemed authentic. Interestingly strong performances by William DeMeo and Joe Vitrelli.

From Wikkipedia:

At the beginning of the film, Vinny Minieri (Donofrio) and his two men are beating a man. It finishes with Vinny burning man's face with a cigarette. Two brothers, Angelo Argono (DeMeo) and Paulie Argono (Dubin) are leading poor and boring life on the streets of Brooklyn, New York City, along with their childhood friends Pete (Daniel Margotta) and Dominic "Dom" (John Palumbo). Brooklyn is owned by a mob boss Santo Minieri (Joe Viterelli), old but ruthless crime boss. Brothers are working in a local restaurant belonging to Mr. Letto (Robert Constanzo) as waiters. Although they can't stand their boss, they must work there.

All changes when Angelo decides to quit his job. He, Paulie, Pete and Dom borrow cash from a loan shark Hector and start bookie business, although their Uncle Tommy (Raymond Serra) doesn't like the idea. Business goes well and more and more money goes in Angelo's crew's pockets, from losing customers. Soon they were able to sit in luxury strip club (owned by Minieri) and drink expensive drinks.

Problem appears when Angelo fights Minieri's men. They are soon thrown out by spoiled Vinny and his guys. The crew then starts collecting more and more money, and hotheaded Angelo comes to idea of racketeering. They set protection racket in a candy store, but when they come to collect the cash, they are confronted by Vinny who takes him to his father's home. Santo tells Angelo to give him one good reason not to tell his bodyguard Eddie (John Hoyt) to take him out and beat him to death. Angelo explains that they're just trying to earn money and it would be good if they work with Santo. Santo takes the offer.

After saving Vinny's life and doing some errands and jobs for Santo, Angelo is now right-hand-man of crime boss. Vinny doesn't like this and prepares to kill Angelo's gang and his father to be the neighborhood boss. Santo soon has a heart attack and dies, and Vinny understands that that is a perfect chance to kill wannabes and become the crime boss. He ambushes Angelo, Pete and Dom (Paulie wasn't there, he was on a date) with his men and kills them in a drive-by shooting.

When Paulie returns, he sees what happened and has a flashback of his childhood, while crying. Suddenly he stops crying and goes to Vinny's house. There he finally kills Vinny and his two bodyguards, saying "And you're the fucking wannabes". Film here ends.

The slow motion shoot out was ill at the end. Very thorough and graphic.