User Reviews

While this film is on occasion overly played and extremely temperamental with its views of Italian American stereotypes, it can be said that if seen through the eyes of its young hero played by Richard Gere who desperately wants to get out from under the thumb of his family's construction business and do what he wants which is to be a teacher. He's tired of being expected to do but the family wants just because of tradition, but he can't quite get rid of certain elements of those traditions, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Father Tony Lo Bianco and uncle Paul Sorvino aren't exactly the greatest influences, but they are resentful when he decides to pursue his own career goals oh, only getting his father to let up on him when he agrees to spend two weeks working on a construction project. But he can't be faithful to girlfriend Marilu Henner, settling for the alluring Kim Milford who seems overly anxious to come between them.

Papa Lo Blanco thinks he's the king of the hill, making the big bucks and supporting the family which includes a younger son with an eating disorder and a second wife, Lelia Goldoni, already extremely neurotic. His macho image is gravely wounded after his wife discovered that he's had enough bear and decide to have an affair with a neighbor who's nosy mother tells on me. This is awkward revenge sex that never occurs because the man climaxes while preparing for it. Goldoni and Lo Blanco completely overplay their parts with Goldoni ridiculously overacting while trying to get her young son to eat, causing him to pass out because he's psychologically bulemic. Lo Blanco tries to be more subtle in moments throughout and is that's more successful in his performance, but when he overdoes it, it's like watching grand opera.

There are excellent performances in a minor subplot involving Uncle Sorvino and his Irish best friend, bar owner Kenneth McMillan. He has a gay son whom he has disowned, and Sorvino desperately tries to get them back together, becoming angry when the estranged son refuses, obviously hurt beyond repair. It's a strong scene that doesn't really serve any plot purpose other than to show the strength of the friendship, but it's pretty brave and shows the humanity of Sorvino's character. Yvonne Wilder is sassy as Lo Bianco and Sorvino's sister, but only really has one big scene, gossiping with her sister-in-law over the lusty neighbor, setting up the attempted affair which results in violence and wakes Gere up to desperately wanting to change the patterns he seen in his family all his life. Gere does refer to Goldoni as "mom", but there are hints by the way he treats her that she is not his real mother.

There are going to be obvious comparisons between Gere and John Travolta's character in "Saturday Night Fever", and certainly elements of the families are very similar. There are also elements of the fact that their characters are both very sensitive young men who are trying to be more than just what stereotype to expect them to be, and Gere's character in particular is very sensitive and very protective of his younger half-brother. A scene where he looks on his father in shock and disgust is particularly powerful. I also found the opening credits to be very unique, as it's a helicopter shot of the Bronx and never shows Manhattan at all. The photography by Robert Surtees, one of the greatest cinematographers of all time, is excellent. The ending is very powerful with Gere making a desperate but necessary decision to take his own life back, and is one of the most stunning conclusions in modern movie history. This is where you see with Gere that a superstar is born, and a good actor to boot.