Movie Review: Brooklyn Rules

Movies Reviews

By Maura Reilly May 18, 2007, 3:00 GMT

Brooklyn during the mid-80s is the setting for Michael Corrente’s story about three life-long friends trying to make their way in the world and still remain loyal to each other and the neighborhood. Written by the Emmy winning writer of The Sopranos, Terence Winter, ‘Brooklyn Rules’ is narrated by Michael (Freddie Prinze Jr.) a fast talking, good looking guy who by his own admission has no idea how he managed to get into pre-law at Columbia. But he has aspirations to rise above his middle-class roots, much to the confusion of his friend Carmine (Scott Caan) whose idea of the perfect life is to get in good with the local mobster (Alec Baldwin). And then there’s Bobby (Jerry Ferrara), the sometimes dim penny pinching nice guy who wants nothing more than to live a quiet existence with his fiancée working at the post office. The turmoil in their lives mirrors the New York around them. They are each required to make hard decisions about what it is to be a friend and a man. This film was shot on location in New York City back in 2004. I think I have a pretty good idea why there was such a delay to get it released. It’s simply not that good. There is nothing fresh in the telling of these three guys’ lives. We’ve seen it all before and done better. Winter talked about how the script flowed organically while shooting the breeze one night with his friends, whom Carmine and Bobby are based on. That’s actually the one part of this script that works: the repartee between the boys. It’s when you add the mobster storyline and Michael’s relationship with Ellen (Mena Suvari) a girl from the right side of the bridge that things become cliché and hackneyed. Apart from some seriously bad wardrobe choices Carmine makes, a couple pop culture references and the odd top 40 80’s song playing the background there isn’t much else that distinguishes the time period as 1985. The news footage of the New York Mafia families’ power struggle is the clearest indication of when this story is supposed to be taking place. Though for people outside the five boroughs that may not offer much enlightenment. In most cases a good performance will outshine a poor script. This is not the case in Brooklyn Rules. Freddie Prinze Jr., while easy on the eyes is out-matched in this film. As the charming con-man he’s completely unconvincing. There is very little weight and dimension to his performance. Scott Caan brings much of the smart-assed neighborhood humor to the film but the character’s motivation to pursue a life of crime is unclear. One bright spot is Jerry Ferrara as the lovable Bobby. It’s a marked departure from Turtle on Entourage. In so much as Michael is the narrator of the film its heart has to be Bobby and his crazy family. Who would have thought Alec Baldwin could play a foul-mouthed, foul tempered heavy with such conviction? Oh that’s right, everyone. Men of a certain age and from Brooklyn are going to like this film. For the rest of us looking for another Bronx Tale (1993) we aren’t going to find it here. While Brooklyn Rules are “not made to be broken” the cardinal rule of Hollywood seems to have been: “Give the people something entertaining or thought provoking. And if that fails a really awesome car chase.” (N.B. There aren’t any car chases in this movie.) Limited Release USA May 18^th, 2007. MPAA: Rated R for violence, pervasive language and some sexual content.

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Movie Review: Brooklyn Rules

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