Movie Review: City Island
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Juliana Margulies and Andy Garcia in City Island
Photo by Phil Caruso -2009 City Island, Inc.
If you have some free time this weekend, go to the Regal Village Square (at Sahara and Fort Apache) to see City Island before its run ends on Wednesday.
This is a different kind of Bronx tale than the one told by Chazz Palminteri. This story takes place on a bit of land that is an anomoly — a small is island a mile-and-a-half long by a half-mile wide. It sits in the Long Island Sound at its westernmost end. The natives — most of whom appear to live in homes built by their forebears — are called “clamdiggers” and newcomers are “mussel suckers.”
This tale is about corrections officer Vincent Rizzo (co-producer Andy Garcia), a clamdigger, and his family. His wife Joyce (Juliana Margulies) is not longer feeling the love they shared when they got together 20 years ago. Daughter Vivian (Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Andy Garcia’s real-life daughter) and son Vince, Jr. (Ezra Miller) fit perfectly with their parents.
You see, this film makes a strong case against the idea that no man is an island. The Rizzos are all islands, heavily fortified islands, protecting their own secrets, unable to communicate on any but the most superficial level. Into their lives come Tony Nardella (Steven Strait), a prisoner incarcerated where Vince works, and Molly (Emily Mortimer), Vince’s friend who helps him realize his secret ambition.
In some ways, City Island is stereotypical Bronx. There’s lots of shouting and fighting. Lots. But it doesn’t go over the cliff. These are, as we get to know them, compelling people. The relationship between Vince and Molly is a lovely — and unusual for movies — one. They start out as friends and they end up as….friends.
The cast is uniformly excellent. The performances are interesting and a departure from what we’ve have seen Garcia — who may well get an Oscar® nomination —Margulies and Mortimer do before. Screenwriter-director-co-producer Raymond De Felitta has crafted an absorbing film. It’s the first of his I’ve seen but, hopefully, it won’t be the last.
City Island is so different than most of today’s multiplex fare that its mere absence of armies at war, superheroes (although in his own way, Vince is a superhero), car chases and 3D, make it refreshing.It is a lovely film and, if you miss it this week, remember to rent the video.
(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)
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I agree about this film — fun and lovely.
I agree with Ellen Sterling’s review. I thoroughly enjoyed this film. The acting was excellent. The relationships told an important story about family, friendships, secrets, and so much more.