The Dukes (2007)

the audience applauded

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I saw The Dukes last week at the Chicago International Film Festival. I LOVED IT. I have watched a lot of classic Italian cinema and have seen American films that clearly try to capture the spirit of those films; This is the first one , in my humble opinion that DOES. It is such a charmingly, delightful , funny and heartfelt piece. The ensemble of actors play like a great Jazz band . The performances are real, nuanced, and touching. The humor comes out of human characters not hackneyed forced situations we see in a lot of films today. I laughed out loud so many times but from the humanness of the characters and situation not because of being manipulated into laughter like so many comedies. And this is the first and only film I know of that is dealing with the current economic crisis but does so not despairingly but with a message of HOPE. You will leave the theater feeling uplifted. The film was directed by Robert Davi ,this was his directorial debut and he does a fantastic job . I cannot recommend this film enough. Davi,(who also stars in the film) along with Chazz Palminteri and Peter Bogdanovich has put together a GREAT group of actors. A story for this time. Without going in depth, the film follows two cousins , Davi and Palminteri ,who are DOO -WOP singers . In the 1960s they were the biggest act around . The film takes place today and they are no longer what they once were and are trying to make ends meet. The analogies in the film are right on target. As we see the collapse of the economy and families trying to make ends meet this film speaks to those struggles of trying to redefine how we all make our living ..and survive ..I was brought to tears several times during the film some from that trieste feeling we have from life and others from a kind of joy and hope that you are left with at the end of this film

I saw THE DUKES at the french International Comedy Film Festival located in a famous ski resort called Alpe d'Huez. The movie was great with a very nostalgic atmosphere. The audience loved it and it was great to see the actor/director Robert DAVI getting an award for his movie. There was a standing ovation and that guy was really cool ! Everybody knew him from DIE HARD or GOONIES or PROFILER. He was acclaimed by french stars called José GARCIA, Fabrice LUCHINI. The soundtrack is great. We hope the movie will be released soon. The screening was held in the main theater of the festival and the crowd was huge for the final night. This festival is the most important in France for Comedy films. THE DUKES had this nostalgic touch which made the audience happy. It was a great film selected with JUNO. Otherwise most of the films were french.

Saw this film at the DGA, great performances, heart warming, and very funny. Some classic moments, great chemistry between Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi and Peter Bogdanovich. Miriam Margolyes is great as Aunt Vi, a role she normally would not be thought of. Elya Baskin is hysterical. Frank D'amico, who i have not seen before, is terrific. Eloise DeJoria combines sensitivity with a subtle comedic quality. Melora Hardin, from The Office,hits just the right tone as Danny's(Robert Davi)ex-wife.Bruce Weitz,Elaine Hendriks and Joyce Westergaard are all terrific. This is Robert Davi's first time directing and he does a fantastic job. The film has many twists and I could not predict where things were going ,which I normally do very easily.I laughed as hard in a few places as I ever had. The blending of pathos, humor and believabilty are rare these days..A MUST SEE

Robert did a superb job directing this heartfelt drama, it is refreshing to see a film that does not fit like a cookie cutter into the typical studio mold yet keeps your interest and warms your heart. Robert seems to be very influenced by other great Itallian directors and gives a certain European flair to this wonderful offbeat film that is sure to be a welcome change of pace from the typical Hollywood formula film.The film is an interesting character study about loyalty and friendship that has lasted several decades through the good times and the bad. It is about survival, redemption, and the irony of life, and explores the darkside of good people who sometimes make bad decissions but ultimately triumph in their own peculiar way.Robert may have a different take on the film than I do, after all he is the creator and the artist behind it, and I am just the Producer, but I am very proud of the work we did and the final product and I think that this film will be well received.