Brooklyn Rules (2007)

Directed by: Michael Corrente | 95 minutes | drama, crime | Actors: Scott Caan, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jerry Ferrara, Alec Baldwin, Mena Suvari, Monica Keena, Robert Turano, Phyllis Kay, Ursula Abbott, Paulo Araujo, Marc Alan Austen, PJ Brown, Chris Caldovino, John Cenatiempo, Bern Cohen, Tibor Feldman, Annie Golden, Alexa Havins, Rome Kanda, Frank Lapetina, Christian Maelen, Jeffrey M. Marchetti, Dan McCabe, Larry Nuñez, Brian O’Neill, Anthony Paolucci, Richard Perello, Ty Thomas Reed, Ed Rubeo, Staci Rudnitsky, Elyse Seiden, Daniel Tay, James Thompson, Kevin Thoms, Lin Tucci, Anthony Vincent

The American drama ‘Brooklyn Rules’ is set in the eighties in the always turbulent neighborhood of Brooklyn. Although the mafia violence from the eighties is certainly not ignored in this feature film, it plays a minor role. It merely serves as a backdrop to the events in the lives of three friends. They happen to grow up in the Brooklyn of the troubled eighties. However, the year 1985 was deliberately chosen: the seventy-year-old mafia boss Paul Castellano was murdered by employees of John Gotti, which led to a mafia war. Writer Terence Winter, also known for his work on TV series “The Sopranos,” based the film’s screenplay largely on his own life and his close friendship with two boys, who also grew up in Brooklyn.

Mike, Carmine and Bobby are three boys about the same age. The three have known each other since kindergarten and although they are crazy about each other, they only express this in the most horrible insults to each other. Each of the boys has their own quirks, and this is perfectly portrayed by the different actors. Scott Caan, son of legendary actor James Caan, follows in his father’s footsteps here and never looked like Sonny again (James’ role in ‘The Godfather’). Here he proves to have a lot of acting talent; his portrayal of the vain Carmine, who goes astray in his hunger for fame and money and comes into contact with the mafia, is memorable. Jerry Ferrera is also touching as the sweet Bobby who orders the strangest dishes and is always so frugal that he would rather walk a few miles than pay a parking attendant to park his car. His love for Amy (Monica Keena) has lasted for two years and provides some counterbalance to Carmine’s one-night stands.

The role of Mike is played by Freddie Prinze Jr., not a bad actor, but the important role of Mike turns out to be a bit too heavy for him. He doesn’t convince in every scene. He does well in the scenes with co-star Mena Suvari, but unfortunately in some emotional passages his acting falls short. Mike wants to get out of Brooklyn. He dreams of a career as a lawyer and manages to earn a spot at Columbia University. It’s not completely fair, but that’s not something that bothers him. Mena Suvari’s character struggles with her conflicting feelings for Mike: on the one hand she is fascinated by his background (she herself comes from the safe and bourgeois Connecticut), but she abhors the violence that Mike encounters in his – immediate – environment (and self provokes). The actress appears to be able to handle these emotions well, although she is a bit too old to play a student. The same goes for Freddie Prinse Jr. and Scott Caan (but with the latter this is not noticeable due to his excellent acting). Alec Baldwin plays Caesar, a mob boss who helps Carmine move up the crime scene and does a great job. Beautiful is the scene in which he questions the young Carmine about his origin. “Is your mother Italian?” he wants to know. A question that you might be waltzing over as an inattentive viewer, but one that has major consequences for Carmine’s further life.

Although ‘Brooklyn Rules’ is about a close, touching friendship and has some dramatic twists, the story remains fairly superficial. The plot is compelling, but the actors do not know how to get the most out of it and the clichés cannot be counted on one hand. However, that does not mean that the film has failed: the previously acclaimed acting by some of the cast members makes ‘Brooklyn Rules’ certainly worthwhile. The atmosphere in the film is also well hit, thanks to the script by Terence Winter. ‘Brooklyn Rules’ isn’t the best the writer has done with his knowledge of life in the New York borough, but it’s recommended for fans of coming-of-age dramas and, come on, mafia movies.