Supelice Dreadfully Boring

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Arianna Moses Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

Karlee The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

xxmyloveuxx As I go through "Brooklyn rules" DVD sitting on my rack-top for the umpteenth time, i can't help but feel disappointment deep within, not at the movie but at its fate. It is a pity that a film of this grandeur has gone through almost unnoticed by the general audience and critics. It has suffered the same dead-end that an "also ran" type movie suffers, when the truth is that it is far from one.The first words that float into my mind when I think of this movie is 'tour-de-force'. Yes, we have been subjected to countless of these gangster films over the decades but nothing comes close to this on levels of sheer effectiveness and the connection which it is able to make with the audience. The three protagonists right from their childhood to the untimely demise of one of them, take us on a unforgettable journey, made so not by any dramatic twists in the script or by any enchanting visual imagery in the movie (if you are looking for these things, I would suggest a re-watch of Avatar or perhaps some Justin Beiber), but by the simpleness of the script.Mike, Carmine and Bobby- the heroes of this tale- have a chemistry going on between them that almost makes you believe in them, believe that what is happening in front of you is real. What most of us are not lucky enough to experience is having childhood friends and still being their closest buddies when we grow old, the joy of calling these friends names, the persistent attempt to one-up each other, the wonder of always sharing our moments of joy, sorrow, and things we love most with them and finally even being willing to kill for them. And it is this true friendship that the movie depicts and does so in a manner that makes you believe in what you are seeing despite their difference in personality and inclinations and despite their differences in education. And this is what later makes you feel the pain of two of our lone warriors left behind when one of the pack leaves them forever in the battlefield that is life. The reactions and the expressions in this leaves no place for superficiality, it is just as if the things are happening to you or me or to a next door neighbor- the film succeeds in depicting the trios life to such a big extent, and herein lies its greatness.I have all but the greatest respect for Corrente in making the lives three ordinary boys living in a unruly district into this extraordinary film, and yet warn you all the same, that if you haven't watched this yet then don't go in expecting great things cause then you might not find them, but if you just go in to experience something, then I would bet you a thousand bucks that you will come back more full-filled from it and with the knowledge that the 100 minutes of your life were indeed well spent. Watching this movie was indeed a life changing episode for me and I enjoyed it as much as watching the first edition of Rocky (note that I compare the two because these are both simple and yet really powerful movies). The movie is aptly summarized in the conclusive scene by Michael Turner in reminiscence of his departed friend, when he says that wherever you go, and whatever you do- you are never far apart from your true friends and not even death can separate you from them for you always carry them in your heart. And this is exactly what this movie is all about. Their immortal friendship. And so if it is in the case of true friendship, that even if fate has the worst in store for you, you needn't bother as you live forever in the memory of your friends then the same goes for this movie as it will always live on, in the memory of us few faithful followers who could grasp its true meaning.

Sir Vertual (sirvertual) If 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...

Al Brooklyn Rules has a premise that has been done before. Having grown up in Brooklyn and being a fan of Alec Baldwin I took a chance and rented the film. I have to say that I really wanted to enjoy this film as I am a fan of the genre, can relate to the life and am from the same generation as the characters in the film.The storyline is a coming of age story of three friends from Brooklyn. A storyline such as this would rest heavily on crisp direction, a good solid script and the rapport between the three buddies played by Freddie Prinz Jr., Scott Caan and Gerry Ferrara. The rapport and connection just wasn't there. Although individually there were some bright spots, it didn't seem like these guys really knew each other. Their affection seemed forced and false. The contact between the younger actors that played the same characters as school boys at the start of the film was more honest, spontaneous and interesting than their older counterparts. Scott Caan gives a solid and understated performance as the friend who initially seeks his future in the mob life. Gerry Ferrara is fine as the good hearted cheapskate Bobby. As the main character and narrator of the film, Freddie Prinz comes off the weakest of the three with a performance that lacks in energy and played with a very fake accent. The latter sounding like a preppies stereotyped version of a mob/Brooklyn accent. The rapport between Prinz's character and his love interest also suffers in the film. Mena Suvari and Mr. Prinz, both who have turned in much better performances in other films, seemed to be trying desperately to find their way through the awkward dialog and couldn't make it work. The script and the direction, IMHO was the greatest problems with the film. I understood from the DVD interviews that the movie was based on the writers actual life experience. It must have meant a great deal to Mr. Winter to bring this to life. It is most commendable effort, but the dialog is forced, labored and artificial. It needed a great deal of polish to smooth out the rough edges and bring a little more truth, less forced humor and more energy to the story. I'm a fan of many of the films that this movie has spawned from ie. Goodfellas, Bronx Tale and the genres progenitor, Mean Streets. But those films had an energy, truth, humor and spontaneity that this film lacks. Alec Baldwin is as usual fun to watch and one can only wish that we saw more of him and that he didn't die as soon as he did. When Baldwin is no longer in the film it sort of flounders to it's ponderous ending. Gerry Ferrara's last tragic scene is the only moving moment, much in part due to Mr. Ferrara's excellent performance in that scene.The direction was equally awkward and labored and served to make the film a stereotype of the intense and complicated world that takes place on the streets of Brooklyn. It is a shame because the story idea was a good one and could have been served better.

Roland E. Zwick "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.