Once Upon a Time in Brooklyn (2013)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Bobby (William DeMeo) gets out of prison after five years for armed robbery. He opts to go after the rats that put him in there. He works for a crime family. He is the son of a well off somewhat honest construction company owner who does not like the mob, but must deal with them. The story is told with flashbacks and flashbacks during flashbacks. It has some first person narration by Bobby, but changes up at will to have some policeman narration.The film is a gritty look at the crime world filled with connections and favors. Bobby loathes the flamboyant lifestyle of those criminals who flaunt their wealth, but is forced to work with them. Bobby is by no means an honorable person himself, screwing up relationships, sometimes being his worse enemy.The acting was wonderful, but the plot wasn't solid as if the editor had hiccups. Worth a rental for those for enjoy mafia style crime movies.Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, stripper nudity.

I had no idea what to expect when I saw this film, but I was thoroughly surprised at what I got. I really enjoyed this movie, it reminds me of the good old days in Brooklyn. Exactly what a gangster movie should be, great cast, the acting was spot on, and it brings a ton of action to the screen. With a true ensemble cast, you get grade A acting. I have no idea how they got so many good actors in one film, but the end result was really good. I also have to say the cinematography was great as well. This is the new generation of gangster films! If you like this genre, it's a must see.The motorcycle shooting scene was awesome! I highly recommend!

The film is an interesting mix of family drama and mafia movie. It balances the two quite well and plays an entertaining part in the conflict. The relationship especially between the father and son juxtaposed with the relationship of the small gang is done nicely. And the ending is especially my favorite part. Overall, I think it is a decent film and is well worth the watch. Yes, there were some things I wasn't particularly fond of such as the lack of violence I was expecting but it was still a decent film. If you don't like mafia movies then obviously this isn't the movie for you. But if you are partial to them, I would say to give this one a shot.

A friend of mine suggested I see this movie. I understood why she did after seeing it. The lead actor blew me away. He had incredible presence. I love the bad boys. Especially ones that can make you root for them. I thought the movie sent a very nice message of what is really important. I will be watching out for William DeMeo. I really enjoyed watching him from the opening scene. The scenes with his father Armand Assante were very good. I felt the compassion they felt for each other. Assante still has what it takes. The scene where he rips into his son towards the end of the movie is breath taking. I thought the movie had enough action for the story told and I felt all the supporting characters were very believable. If you are a fan of this genre. You won't be disappointed. I will be looking out for the future films of this director Paul Borghese.