Based upon the true story of Bruce Johnston Sr., his son, and his brothers; together, they constituted one of suburban Philadelphia's most notorious crime families during the 1970's. Their criminal activities ranged from burglary, theft, and ultimately, murder.
Sean Penn, at the young age of 26, put on a very good performance that would later set him up for later roles such as MYSTIC RIVER. The opening credits were absolutely fantastic because the camera is solely on Penn, not worrying about the road or where he's going. He's just a kid, out for a drive, unsure of everything. Christopher Walken was the show stealer with a role he very rarely plays, a vicious sonofab*tch, cold blooded killer. Yes he has somewhat played that before in KING OF NEW YORK but I've never see him to this extent. Ultimately, Mary Stuart Masterson's character is the most tragic. A small town girl who falls in love with Sean Penn's character and gets caught up in the family business. She risks her entire existence to be with him and what transpires is heartbreaking.
