| |
|
Yar, you be here: Little Odessa > Customer Reviews Little Odessa Customer Reviews (1 - 3 of 8 Reviews)Almost too realistic, cruel and depressing. Serious stuff.
This 1994 film is set in Brighton Beach, the area of Brooklyn where Russians have settled. It's a rough and gritty neighborhood and we meet a family with multiple problems. The oldest son, Tim Roth, is a hit man for the mob who's been out of touch with his family for several years but has to come back to the neighborhood to carry out a murder. His teenage brother adores him and follows him to all the wrong places. The mother, played by Vanessa Redgrave, is dying of a brain tumor. The father, played by Maximillian Schell, works hard all day at a newspaper stand, cheats on his wife and is brutal to his sons. There is violence and murder throughout and the audience knows it will just get worse.
Usually, I complain because films like this are not realistic. However, I felt just the opposite about this film. It is almost too realistic, cruel and depressing. And there is no bit of lightness to offset the somber mood. I also felt some real emotion. To me this was serious stuff.
Performances were uniformly excellent, especially that of Maximillian Schell. He came across a real person with upsets and conflicts and bad choices. Tim Roth, who is actually a British actor, managed to get the New York street accent just right. The rest of the cast seemed completely authentic. I especially liked the family's large run-down apartment and the scenes shot near the beach during the winter. And the murders made me shudder because they were so very real.
The drama held my attention and let me feel the dilemma of this troubled family. It ends sadly, as I expected it would. And it is completely depressing. However, I liked it and therefore recommend it.
Cast: Tim Roth ... Joshua Shapira This is a strange movie. The only well-known cast members that I knew of were Maximillian Schell and Vanessa Redgrave, and I never recognized them until I saw their names in the credits. They have aged, as have we all. That is more a reflection on me than on the cast, no doubt, because I don't keep up with Hollywood's latest talent, and the ones I do recognize have changed. But, they can still act! The cast is relatively scanty; the movie, however, is of high quality. No need for more cast members. The color is muted, and it suits the film. It is set in New York City, in Brooklyn. The film evokes emotion, but the acting, though skillful, is also muted. Nothing is overstated. It is very well directed, obviously. This is the story of a Russian Jewish hit-man, Joshua Shapira (Tim Roth) who is reluctantly returned to his home territory (Brooklyn), where he is a wanted man, for a contract killing. Joshua finds that his mother, Irina (Vanessa Redgrave), is dying of a brain tumor, and his younger brother, Reuben (Edward Furlong) is cutting school, smoking dope, drinking, and generally headed for trouble. His father, Arkady (Maximillian Schell) is aware that he has failed in bringing up his oldest son. He has a mistress. although he loves his wife. Arkady rejects Joshua as a "street rat," who is loved by Reuben and his mother, Irina. The whole story is fraught with pent-up emotion. Execution scenes, although shown, are not overly graphic, although the film is rated "R" (probably for language). It is made for mature audiences, but is of good quality throughout. I'm glad I saw it. It has emotional impact. Joseph (Joe) Pierre
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||
© 2004 DVD Booty | Don't Plunder Our Cache of Booty, Matey! Hosting Provided by cash loan |
