Rating: Summary: A Gritty, Underrated Film. A Gary Oldman masterpiece! Review: This film is definitely worth seeing, and has grown on me with repeated viewings. It is well directed and well cast, and it manages at times to be unpredicatable even though it has a somewhat formulaic, standard-issue plot. Sean Penn is good (as always) and manages to portray his character's angst and moral dilemma well, Ed Harris is intense, frightening and good, Robin Wright is very good (as always).....but, Gary Oldman is simply brilliant. He delivers a volatile, powerful, and credible performance. His signature intensity is definitely present and well suited for this role, and he also infuses the role with subtle nuance and complexity and poignancy. Oldman breathes incredible life into his character, which allows this movie to (almost) transcend its gangster foundation. As Oldman is capable of doing, he really disappears into this role, blending into the fabric of the character, allowing me to forget (temporarily) that I'm watching an actor portraying a role. This film is worth watching stricly for the acting....especially Oldman's brilliant turn.
Rating: Summary: Very Good Review: This is a good flick, although it may seem slightly aged since all the others in the genre have beaten the genre to death (Kill Bill breathed a breath of fresh air into it). Good acting, somewhat predictable, but not overdone with violence or gore. Kept me watching.
Rating: Summary: A MUST SEE!!!!!!!! Review: This is a movie that cannot be missed. I have seen it over 100 times (no joke). I find something I missed out on everytime I watch it. Gary Oldman is a CHAMP! ! ! Sean Penn plays the role of a Boston police officer returning to the West Side "Hell's Kitchen" to infiltrate the Irish mafia-- his old friends from 10 years ago. I recommend grabbing a cold 12 pack and sitting back to enjoy the greatest movie that is indeed an unsung CLASSIC. Check it out guys, you WILL love it!
Rating: Summary: A good Sean Penn film Review: This is an intresting movie about an undercover cop trying to bring down the Irish mob which consists of some of his long time buddies. It is really a good movie. The ending is the best.
Rating: Summary: Incredible... Review: This is one of the best movies that I have ever seen. Not to give the final scene away but I have never seen an ending done so well before. Unfortunately my copy was lent to someone who did not give it back... This is why I am here... A plea to Orion to Re-Release the movie so that everyone can enjoy it.
Rating: Summary: Fantastic Review: This is one picture that will not be forgotten. I have seen this in the movie`s 5 time when it came out. and waited 3yrs. for it to be on DVD and it will be released on Dec.3 can`t wait. this is a sean penn movie, it was stolen by Gary oldman who is amazing.The ending is awesome, done really well in slow motion,and with this in 5.1 it will be awesome then the laserdisc that i have this on. you won`t be sorry...
Rating: Summary: Underrated is an understatement Review: This movie should be rated #2 on the all-time best movie list right under The Godfather. Ed Harris plays his character's chilling lack of emotion and sentimentality so well it'll freeze your dvd player. Gary Oldman is endearing even when he's pummeling some poor sod with a beer mug and his alcoholic fog may be a little too believable. You can see why this movie gave birth to Sean Penn and Robin Wright's on-again/off-again relationship, they are phenomenal. You can actually feel Penn struggle with who he was and who he becomes. The supporting cast -John C. Reilly, Burgess Meredith, John Tururro- could be the marquee lineup of any other film and Meredith's poor, lonely, old man will tear your heart out in the ten minutes he's on screen.This film is a must-own.
Rating: Summary: The most brutal crime organization in the history of NYC Review: This movie was absolutely one of the most craziest and loyal crime movies ever made. Its acting will have you convinced that this isn't a move at all, its real life. The story is about an Irish-American cop (Sean Penn) who returns back to the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan (where he was born and raised) from Boston, in which he was assigned to go undercover into an Irish-American criminal organization run by none other than his childhood friends, the Flannery brothers (Oldman and Harris). As jolting as running on concrete on a cold winter morning!
Rating: Summary: The duty against the friendship! Review: Three visions ; three gazes , three generations , three points of view . The Yuppie Generation who live in The Kitchen's hell ; a police and a mobster .
The cop -Sean Penn is sent to New York and will meet again with his childhood friends but the life has invited them to complete the circle of the life .
A stunning film where the job , the feelings , the duty , the betray , the honour and the merciless violence intersect searing the screen. Full blooded film but filmed with superb good taste .
Arresting angle shots where you remember some bits of The Citizen Kane , superb illumination , and solid script make of this one of the three best mob films in 1990 - with Goodfellas and Crossing Miller .
The cast is fine but Gary Oldman shines with the light of a Supernova in this case . His role is the most complex to follow due the multiple spirit states demanded .
Phil Joanou is a gifted director who should be kept in mind for next releases .
Rating: Summary: Strictly Mediocre gangster saga. Passable Mood Piece. Review: Unfortunately, this film is no lost classic. It comes off as completely routine, adding absolutely nothing to an already (by 1990) saturated genre niche (the New York gangster 'slice of life'). Indeed, 'State of Grace's only viable claim to fame is that it is mainstream film which added a third ethnic type to its contemporary Italian and Jewish mob 'vogue' templates set by 'The Godfather' films, especially Part 3 (also 1990), 'Goodfella's' (uhh 1990) and 'Once Upon a Time in America'(1984). Phil Jaonou, the director who's previous credits included a rather mediocre U2 concert, was up against a deep-set tapestry of myth created by Coppola, Leone and Scorcese: it was inevitable that this film was going to flounder, and it did. Good mood piece, though. Excellent performances by the central figures (especially Gary Oldman at a time before his rent-a-villain slump set a bourgeoning career into doldrum territory). Any film with an Ennio Morricone score can't be that bad, right? One niggle: when are American filmmakers going to stop exploiting and start debunking that obviously romanticised New York epicentred 'Good ole Oirish, Beggorah!!' myth. Could 'State of Grace' with hindsight be retitled 'Gangs of New York: One Century Later'?
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