City Island

Well...seems like I start every review with a little of the same. I started this project a few years ago and hardly take the time to write. I review a movie here, a movie there then I just disappear. I watch a lot of movies, a lot. This blog should be falling apart with movie reviews. Lately, I have been watching movies with the thought of writing reviews for each one. I guess I am just too lazy. I just finished watching City Island and I really enjoyed this movie. So much so, I finish the movie and tell myself "now is the time, there is no excuse." I come onto the blog and find a review I drafted for "Predators" which came out last year...like I said, a movie here, a movie there and then I just disappear. I keep telling myself that I will be more diligent...yes...I keep telling myself. There are currently two followers of this blog and one is my sister. I wonder how many followers this blog would have if I was more diligent when I started this back when I did....

Tonight I watched City Island. I really, really enjoyed this movie. I remember when this movie came out back in 2009. The critics were nice. I always remembered wanting to watch this movie. Tonight was the night and I was pleasantly surprised.

The set up - you have a family living in the very real City Island, New York City. The father, Vince - Andy Garcia, is a corrections officer who comes across an inmate, Tony - Steven Strait (The Covenant), who Vince believes to be his son. Vince is also enrolled in an acting class where he strikes up a friendship with Molly, played by Emily Mortimer. One day Vince decides to bring Tony home to his family. The family consists of a daughter, Vivian - Dominik Garcia-Lorida, who is "coming home" from college for spring break, but is secretly a stripper. Then there's the son, Vince Jr. - Ezra Miller, who has one the most bizarre fetishes I have never heard of. Finally, the mother, Joyce - Julianna Margulies (ER) - who harbors no secrets but does have a suspicion Vince may be cheating on her. Add them all to a pot, add oregano, stir, and serve....

What did I like about this movie? Sitting here thinking about what I liked...I am at a loss for words. There's so much - the son's bizarre fetish, the build-up of Vince's acting: from his classes (led by Alan Arkin), to his friendship with Molly, all culminating in his audition for a part in a Scorsese movie. The audition was a very, very cool scene. And behind it all, you have Tony's interaction with the family, to include some sexual tension with Joyce, as he slowly learns everyone's secrets. Very Shakesperean. Overall, this is a solid movie which is very enjoyable. Something different, a bit off the beaten path.

What I didn't like about this movie was Andy Garcia's ridiculous New York accent. It is just awful.

Would I have paid money to see this movie in the theater? Probably not, which is a shame because this is exactly the sort of movie I would have loved to see in the theater to get my mind off the stresses of life. So, I can't recommend this movie enough. I will be so bold as to say this movie is Must See simply because watching what these people go through will certainly get your mind off of whatever problems you believe plague your life. Enjoy, laugh, but most of all, smile throughout....