Brooklyn Rules Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
Not made to be broken
Brooklyn, 1985. With the mob world as a backdrop, three life-long friends struggle with questions of love, loss and loyalty.
| Alec Baldwin | |
| Freddie Prinze Jr. | |
| Scott Caan | |
| Mena Suvari | |
| Jerry Ferrara | |
| Monica Keena | |
| Robert Turano | Mr. Canzoneri |
| Paulo Araujo | Young Michael |
| Marc Alan Austen | Rabbi |
| P.J. Brown | Earl Webber |
| Chris Caldovino | Philly Cabrese |
| Bern Cohen | Jeweler Sonnenberg |
| John Heinlein | Construction Worker |
| Christian Maelen | Gino |
| Larry Nuñez | Busboy |
| Michael Corrente |
6.40 out of 10 (998 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Scorsese lite: lackluster gangster drama back in the day
posted on 27 Jul 2009BROOKLYN RULES (2007) ** Alec Baldwin, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Scott Caan, Mena Suvari, Jerry Ferrara, Monica Keena. (Dir: Michael Corrente) Scorsese lite: lackluster gangster drama back in the dayEver since Martin Scorsese made his bones as a filmmaker with MEAN STREETS and GOODFELLAS there seems to be a flood of rip-offs or as they would like to think 'homage' to the master who made made men respectable for the average cinephile who could get there violence graphic and anti-heroes even more complex.However the latest attempt to score a hit for The Mob is a rather lackluster gangster drama set back in the day: specifically Brooklyn circa 1985.The focus is on a trio of childhood chums who've seen the brutality of the streets but are none-the-wiser: Michael Turner (Prinze,, Mr. Zero Charisma himself), as the narrator of the flashback driven story, who has Ivy League dreams of becoming a lawyer; his hot-headed goomba wannabe thug bud Carmine Mancuso (Caan, continuing his cottage industry of short-fused jerk-offs) and their sweet but dumb buddy Bobby Canzoneri (Ferrera of HBO's "Entourage" who I can't stomach at all nor the series come to mention it). The three friends are on aimless existences with Michael trying to maintain the straight and narrow path for a stable, normal life preferably from the concrete jungles of his environs while seeing Carmine becoming further corrupted by the local mobster Caesar Manganaro (Baldwin, the best thing about this otherwise tedious affair), a shifty-eyed yet charismatic capo who has his fingers in many pies and shows his true colors for violence in one memorable sequence involving a competitor in the refuse removal business and a meat slicer in the butcher joint Michael works.While the script by vet scribe Terence Winter ("The Sopranos") intersperses real life gangsters from the era into the storyline the lines are a bit forced and predictable for the outcome for the trio's fates and the characters feel like cardboard facsimiles of other genre films like the aforementioned Scorsese canon. Director Corrente (who made a decent debut years back with FEDERAL HILL) does the best he can with the familiar material but ultimately can't infuse the stock material with any real energy (accept for a decent fist-fight in a diner). That can pretty much some up the entire film as a whole.
another fairly generic mob movie
posted on 05 Jul 2009"Brooklyn Rules" is a ho-hum "Goodfellas" knock-off about three lifelong buddies (Freddie Prinze Jr., Scott Caan and Jerry Ferrara) and their involvement with the mafia. After a brief prologue set in 1974, the film moves quickly ahead to1985, where Mikey, Carmine and Bobby, now in their 20's, are attempting to make their way in a world where a mob boss by the name of Caesar Manganaro (Alec Baldwin), rules the streets with an iron fist. Mikey, the film's narrator, is the one most torn between loyalty to the neighborhood and his pals and a desire to experience life beyond this old familiar corner of Brooklyn. Carmine is the hard-nosed tough guy who wants nothing more than to be a card-carrying member of the Manganaro clan.Written by Terence Winter and directed by Michael Corrente, the film indulges in just about every mob-movie cliché one could possibly imagine, topped off by corny narration and banal wise-guy dialogue done in barely comprehensible dese-dem-dose accents. The movie earns a few points for at least trying to create a morally complex character in Mikey (though heavily borrowed from Michael Corleone), but the clichéd storytelling, lackluster performances and dull writing rob the film of most of its impact. There's a decided lack of energy and urgency in the direction as well, making "Brooklyn Rules" a very minor addition to the mob movie genre indeed.
Yet another coming-of-age 'in NY' movie...(that must be seen...or else)
posted on 15 Jun 2009If you enjoy any of the (non-comedic) 'coming-of-age' movies that have come out since the mid-eighties (with Stand By Me in 1986)...Also, any Alec Baldwin fans must see this. Although I really don't feel Alec was in nearly enough scenes and could have substantially helped this movie considerably by his presence with 'the boys'...Even if he'd been superimposed as a ghost that 'somehow influenced their decisions'...The acting (or maybe casting) of the main characters was a lil' sketchy from tie to time, in my opinion and left e feeling somewhat like 'hey, I'm watching a movie'...which is distracting, as it's a sign of quality when you are 'only able' to stay immersed in the story being told and literally 'forget' you are watching a movie...I even found myself 'taking a couple of breaks (to let the cat out, take a pee, get a drink, etc, etc.) during some of the slower 'connecting' scenes...And I'm sure you know what I mean...The sign of a really well-done film, is when you literally 'can't take your eyes off the screen', allowing any normal distractions to go completely unnoticed (or when the distraction is too much, you flip out and extinguish whatever -or whoever- is the cause of the distraction)...That's a great movie and although this one doesn't fall into that category, it's still one that shouldn't be missed...Overlook the small 'blips' in the acting (it really does get a little awkward -and forced- in a few scenes) and the 'non-emotion' in a few scenes (when there should be a great deal of tear-jerking emotion)...And, as previously stated, the 'under-use' of Alec Baldwin in scenes where he could have definitely been utilized in some creative (and often obvious) ways, which would have really contributed to the overall 'effectiveness' of the story trying to 'get-told'...Otherwise, it's a decent attempt and still stands as (yet another) must-see coming-of-age movies...In easier terms...put it on your 'list-o'-flicks' and when the movie you wanted to see isn't available, grab a copy of this instead...it's pretty much guaranteed to be in-stock...and you won't feel like it was a wasted trip to the 'get a movie place' after you've seen it...Just don't feel like you are incapable of emotion, when you think you should be 'upset over this' or whatever...It's not you, it's the film...
don't let the high ratings fool you
posted on 22 May 2009seriously, this is one of the worst movies I've seen in a while. so bad I felt compelled to post a comment here for the first time. I trusted the above 7+ IMDb rating this movie had. big mistake. from the excessive narration to the utter lack of an original plot line, this movie was just terrible. and the narrator is freddie prinz jr. need I say more? you can't compare this to brooklyn's version of a Bronx Tale, because A Bronx Tale was actually a decent movie. the best thing about it is the brooklyn/manhattan backdrop. second best was scott caan. even alec baldwin was a bit of a disappointment, maybe because we were hoping he could save the film. he couldn't. save your money and netflix this only if you're desperate.
Authentic and brutally real.
posted on 08 May 2009In 1985 Brooklyn, three boyhood friends come of age on the very streets they know like the back of their hand. Michael(Freddie Prinze Jr), Carmine(Scott Caan) and Bobby(Jerry Ferrara)witness power through brutality first hand up close and personal. Michael actually wants to leave the streets and scam his way through law school. Bobby is like the cheapskate, mama's boy who longs for the simple life and is working toward passing the Postal Service exam. Carmine is the self-professed lady-killer, who is impressed with the Mafia lifestyle and his hero is mobster Caesar Manganaro(Alec Baldwin). Fond memories of the past are in jeopardy as the harsh wise guy ruled streets personally touch the boyhood friend's lives. The cast also includes: Mena Suvari, Monica Keena, Chris Caldovino, Robert Turano and Phyllis Kay.
Freddie Prinze Jr. KILLED this film
posted on 12 Apr 2009I haven't seen acting this bad since Showgirls!! Freddie Prinze Jr.'s accent was horrible! His delivery made B list soap stars chuckle out loud.Beyond the aforementioned display of ineptitude the movie needs help...its beyond bad. The story is weak. The dialog is unoriginal and banal. Jerry Ferrara has a decent scene or two, namely the ring scene but aside from that the remaining hour and twenty nine minutes is pure hell on tape.I recommend you watch it just to see how bad acting really can be. Pay particular attention to FPJ, and try not to feel bad for him...its hard.
Brooklyn Rules
posted on 08 Apr 2009Brooklyn Rules is a good story about the undying love and loyalty of three friends growing up in Brooklyn, under some very difficult circumstances. Some fine acting by Alec Baldwin and Scott Caan and very good dialog, so listen carefully. I think this movie has a minor flaw. Sometimes it moves a little slowly but the story line does keep you interested. There is some very funny dialog in this script that breaks up some of the serious moments in the movie, which I liked. This movie is also very violent at times but I believe it was a necessary part of the story.The script,written by Terence Winter was very good and superbly directed by Michael Corrente. I also liked the way this movie was filmed, the set decoration was good and so was the lighting. It made a lot of the scenes very easy on the eye. All in all, I came away from this movie feeling good. It reminded me of growing up with my friends, not under the same circumstances, mind you, but just the way good friends talk to each other with brutal honesty and oh yes, always a wisecrack.I recommend this movie because it is about all of us in some ways. I think people will identify with the characters, I think they will like the film.
A Classic Timepiece
posted on 04 Apr 2009What a movie! It is like a Bronx Tale meets Stand By Me. A Romeo & Juliet/ West Side Story Combo. From the streets of Brooklyn to the streets of Manhattan. Three friends follow their dream. One follows the path of the street; the wannabe gangster. Another follows the path out of the streets/college. And one lost soul is just happy to be the blue collar regular guy. A love story; a story about friendship and loyalty. Freddie Prinze Jr. is fantastic; as is Mena Suvari. Scott Caan reminds us so much of his father in this role. Jerry Ferrara's break out big screen role. Michael Corrente outdid himself with this masterpiece. He has Alec Baldwin back in another good role. And check out the non-speaking doorman; his expressions are priceless. A must see film!
Completely unconvincing... and boring...
posted on 20 Jan 2009I didn't go into this movie expecting to be wowed. In fact seeing they'd casted Freddie Prinze Jr was like a bad omen telling of this movie's incompetence. Anyhow I like to give every movie a chance and I gave this movie it's fair share.The acting is substandard. Freddie Prinze Jr's character makes several faces which remind me of a Lee Evan's comedy special in an attempt to convey 'strong emotion'. He's supposedly the smart 'bystander' who doesn't want to be involved and would rather stay on the sidelines and make something out of his life... sound familiar? Yup, cliché written all over it. Scott Cann and Alec Baldwin are the only actors who really show any talent in their roles, but they struggle to escape the 'lasagne cutter' mob movie character formula and hence show little by way of characterisation that we've never seen before. I didn't emphasise with any of the characters. They where just so cliché and boring I didn't feel they where real people.In fact, the mob doesn't play much of a part in it. The high stakes, dangerous world of mafia life isn't explored much at all. Instead we see detached news reports of mob happenings that seem to have little by way of impact in the three main character's life's. There's few mob related scenes but they didn't seem as intimidating as they thought they where. They where simplistic and cliché, as was the dialogue which could came from a Captain Planet cartoon. The romance was pathetic, there was little chemistry and even less characterisation on the part of Mena Suvari, who was given little to work with. It didn't seem to serve much of a purpose.My main beef with it is that it seemed to think it was being very cool and stylistic with the typical Rolling Stones, Scorsece-esquire score. There was nothing stylistic about it. I liked how they sprinkled in little references to 80's culture but they could have done a lot more to create an atmosphere. Apart from the little references there really wasn't much else to make you think it was set in the 80s.Generally it was real boring, not much by way of acting, not much to like about the characters, who to me generally didn't seem like they needed 'saving from the streets'. Maybe it's just me, but I feel this movie doesn't even deserve to be labelled a mob movie.
Another Great Mobster Film
posted on 24 Oct 2008So here we have another mobster movie with a great list of great actors. Set in the 80s the costumes have a bit of tasteless gestures and some actually hit the mark with authenticity. The background music works well and so do the neighborhoods throughout the films.I was surprised to see pretty boy Freddie Prinze Jr. in this mobster film. I was so used to the childish films he had paraded around for such a long time to forget he has a narrative tone of acting. He played an honest student trying to do his best to escape the tortures of a rough and tumble Brooklyn neighborhood.Alec Baldwin gives a steadfast approach to the head mobster lifestyle by smacking a few locals around in the beginning. We see what the character assembly is going to produce throughout the film just from the short descriptive narratives.Jerry Ferrera plays the lovable sidekick friend that is conceptually frugal and down on his luck in unemployment. Scott Caan plays the most realistic character because in my most humble opinion, he has played this stereotypical role in every film I have seen him in. It's the Napoleon Bonaparte complex character that gets all the wheeling and dealing early on and gets his kicks from well, kicking people to the ground. It's characters like him in this film that really take it to another level. His acting is superb ,the love is genuine ,and sometimes you feel the scenes were ad libbed. Mena Suvari was an unconvincing student femme. She lofts around throughout the film carefree until the s*** hits the fans and then she turns against Freddy's character. She could have easily been knocked off in the script and nobody would've missed her. While she was entirely necessary to the script and in proving a friendship motif, I didn't enjoy her performance.Overall this movie hits the target. It's not another classic mobster makeover but in it's own way reinvents the story and leaves room for a few other younger actors looking to get their beaks wet in this genre.
Surprisingly Good!! And it doesn't want to be "Goodfellas"!!
posted on 02 Sep 2008Quite a few of these reviews seem disappointed that this isn't a "mob" movie. This turned out to be a surprising plus for the me, since we have "The Godfather", "GoodFellas", "Donnie Brasco", "Mean Streets" and many glorious years of "The Sopranos" in the can already.What we have here is an interesting take on the lives of 3 pre-teen thru early adulthood guys who were and remain best friends. The tag of stereotype always strikes me as odd, because these people really do exist. They have little different niches in their lives that shape them differently, but the roots are in their neighborhood's and surroundings.This just in, apparently there IS a mob presence in inner NYC, and Brookyln in particular. If you live there it permeates around you. A person from the 'burbs' of St. Paul probably never got that punched in the gut feeling from having a "made guy" just happen to choose the seat next to you in the movies or local bar. Just because this isn't a "mob" movie doesn't mean the mob is not a character. Some people feel it's allure, some are repelled by it, others have to exist around it.That is the tipping point for the characterizations in the movie. I liked the performances from all the cast. Freddie Prinze showed he can play a grown up and handled the narration well. While not afraid to bend some rules, he knew he wanted to get to a higher plane in life. Jerry Ferrara (from "Entourange")saw a smaller circle, but one that included a cute wife, an OK job and his friends. Scottie Caan felt the pull of the mob life and while not jumping in feet first, wanted to give it a try. All the characters felt real to me, and I enjoyed the story telling. Nice jobs by Alex Baldwin and Mena Surari as well. I felt bad, sometimes sad, kinda happy and bummed out. That's all I'm after in a movie, to care about the characters I'm spending time with, so nice job!!
Great film. Instant classic of the coming of age genre
posted on 23 Aug 2008Went to a screening last night and was blown away. Michael Corrente is the kind of director that is in short supply these days. With all the garbage coming out of Hollywood, he has resisted the temptation to head west and make more $ and has instead stuck to his roots. Brooklyn Rules is a powerful independent film with a very realistic take on the coming of age genre. The cast is top notch. The stars and supporting characters ring incredibly true. I'm not going to list all the names (and there are some of the top actors out there) but just look at the credits and know that each of the actors did some of his/her best work to date. Scenes of the three best friends growing together are inter-cut with elements of harrowing violence and blossoming love. The total effect is one that left me wondering why so few films have the balance of Brooklyn Rules. So many are all out in one direction. Hyper violence- or total sex for 90 minutes. This movie has classical composition and pacing yet is completely original in it's own way. A harrowing portrait of learning the horrors of the modern city life. The soundtrack is amazing on its own. Kudos to all involved- Great job!
Brooklyn underground
posted on 03 Aug 2008Coming from the people involved in the production of this film, the end result feels like a disappointment. "Brooklyn Rules" is a mishmash of better made movies of the genre. Directed by Michael Corrente with a screen play by Terence Winter, the film wants to capitalize on events of the past mixed with fictional characters that are one dimensional, at best.We don't believe for a moment in Michael, the central figure of the trio of friends that are portrayed in the story. Michael is a cheater who tries to push his way around with his political science professor when he pretends to have turned an exam and hasn't received a grade. At the same time, he is horrified by Carmine, the rotten apple in the story who will probably get involved with the same criminal element he cozies up to. The last one of the friends, the simple minded Bobby, seems to live in a different world wishing to be a postal worker with a meager income.Perhaps the creators of "Brooklyn Rules" started out to make a different movie, but unfortunately what comes up on the screen is a bland excuse filled with clichés. Perhaps the casting of Freddy Prince Jr. throws the movie out of balance. An otherwise fair actor of lighter fare, Mr. Prince Jr. doesn't add anything to the character of Michael. Scott Caan, shows a bit of an edge in his Carmine. Alex Baldwin has some good moments in a part that goes from being a suave gangster to the evil mind that can inflict a lot of pain to his enemies.
Bad Rip off
posted on 30 Jul 2008From the very first minute this movie annoyed me big time. Having Saturday Night Fever as my all time favorite movie, it was very hard to see Brooklyn Rules try to copy everything in the boys behavior directly from Travolta and friends. 'Don't touch my hair' when getting a BJ in the car with friends coming and knocking on the car window. Honestly; how can you steal a classic scene like that and put in in a wanna-be movie like this. I hated it! It even stole the whole setup between the boys. One being the religious oriented sweet guy (who gets killed), one being the bad guy, one being the vain gay going on about his hair. EVERYTHING stolen directly from Saturday Night Fever. Make your own god damn script next time!
don't let this one out of Brooklyn
posted on 28 Jul 2008I'm a huge mob film fan and The Sopranos was one of the greatest things to ever happen to my life so i expected 'Brooklyn Rules' to further affirm my belief that being a mobster is the greatest thing a man can do... unfortunately it didn't really help a great deal.As i always seem to end up saying, this certainly wasn't a bad movie, i just expected a bit more from Terence Winter. The plot is very typical, three young kids grow up in the same neighborhood, one turns over to the mob lifestyle, the others follow different paths... i won't spoil you're enjoyment but yeah it's very typical, it reminded me a lot of 'The Black Donnellys' television series if it was set in the 80's. Mena Suvari is superb, Freddie Prinze Jr. struggles to grasp the new york accent and Alec Baldwin is... well... Alec Baldwin. If you enjoy any mob film then definitely check this out as it won't harm you one bit but if you're just looking for a casual watch then you're better off digging out 'A Bronx Tale' again.
One of the best directed movies I have seen in a while
posted on 14 Jul 2008If I had to sum up this movie it would have to include a mixture of Boondock Saints, A Bronx Tale and a little taste of Goodfellas all rolled into one to create BROOKLYN RULES...the cast was awesome the storyline was as truthful as you can get and the movie had it's moments of comedy and others of reflection....I would give this movie a 10 out of 10 and I hope that more people get to see this movie which without the hype will gain it's legion of viewers by word of mouth...those are the best kind of movies in my opinion the ones that just spread like a tidal wave without the pomp and circumstance but still end up being all-time classics or at least achieve Cult Status.
The Sopranos it is not, but...
posted on 10 Jul 2008I have to say I was presently surprised by this little film, I expected way less then I got. That's not to say that this is a fantastic film but it's a good one. It does a great job of representing a believable friendship between it's three main characters. I once again have to gripe of the pointless and sub par acted female character who is injected for the point of having one and doesn't add much to the film. Alec Baldwin is great as he usually is, and the three main characters are both well acted and believable unlike their accents but that's not important here. The story may be filled with a few clichés but the friendship of the characters make it work well enough to pull you into the story, not immerse you in it but keep your interest. I don't want to say Freddie Prinze was amazing but he was rather good, I wish he would lean more into films like this and stay away from any romantic comedy/dramas for a little while, play a villain or something, I do believe he has the talent it's just that he gets type cast in those romantic roles. Anyway, the film was surprisingly good, as was the story and the acting. Don't expect the Sopranos, Goodfellas and definitely not The Godfather and you won't be disappointed.
Great Film!!! Highly recommended
posted on 28 Jun 2008This movie blew me away, I was expecting some sort of a good movie but I didn't know it was going to be this good. I was entertained by this movie almost as much as I was by The Departed, this was a great and powerful movie that never bores you for the entire 99 minutes. I was entertained completely because this movie will make you laugh, cry, and even jump out of your seat on some of the brutal and intense scenes. Freddie Prinze, Jr., Scott Caan, and Alec Baldwin all gave great performances and the music is good too because its set in 1985 and they really play it out. Altogether I gave it a 9 out of 10 because this is a great and powerful film that doesn't stop entertaining for a second and its my 2nd favorite mob film next to The Departed. I highly recommend it to those who enjoy gangster shows because this one is a true must see.
OK but predictable gangster pic
posted on 22 Jun 2008This film was written by Terence Winter, one of the driving forces behind the Sopranos TV series and, given the reputation of that show (which I have to admit to never having seen), I was quite surprised by the routine nature of this film. Freddie Prinze Jr. finds himself out of his depth as Michael, a Brooklyn kid half-scamming his way through law school while trying to avoid becoming sucked into the mob life so adored by Carmine (Scott Caan), one of his closest friends.Much of the problem lies with the fact that everything that happens here we have seen before in better, more original gangster flicks. The story is OK, but the script rarely rises above the pedestrian and, despite some rather clumsy attempts to insert a number of 80s pop culture references there is no real feeling for time or place. Alec Baldwin, who appears as the local mob ruler is by far the best thing about this film. In fact, Baldwin's pretty good in everything he does these days, having successfully negotiated the thorny transition from leading man to character actor without falling foul of the pitfalls encountered by some of his contemporaries. The best scenes in the film are the ones in which he appears and aren't just the most violent incidents. There is more insight into the workings of the mob in the scene in which Baldwin sits down with another gangster to iron out a few issues between Michael and the local mob psycho than there is in the beatings and shootings, etc.Scott Caan is memorable, but it's difficult to be sure whether it is because he gives a good performance in his own right or because in a number of scenes he is so reminiscent of his father playing Sonny Corleone.While there's nothing new here, the picture is entertaining enough and is a relatively painless experience.
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cliché cliché cliché
posted on 12 Aug 2009Seriously, one big cliché. It was as if they watched every mob movie, combined it with Good Will Hunting, and threw in a little bad writing. Freddie Prinze with a Brooklyn accent? Seriously? The interaction between main characters is dull and predictable. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone, especially someone who is actually from Brooklyn, for fear they would be very insulted. And the relationship between Freddie Prinze and Mena Suvari?? Are any of us supposed to care at all? Alec Baldwin is the only light in this otherwise dark film. This is a very shallow portrayal of complex themes. At least we still have the Departed.