A Bronx Tale (1993)

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  January 20, 2012

  cosmo313

  For his directorial debut, Robert De Niro looked to Chazz Palminteri's script (based on his somewhat autobiographical play), and the result is something very phenomenal.
  
  Using the coming of age format, A Bronx Tale is a helping of gangster movie with a few scoops of Romeo and Ju... read moreliet-esque romance thrown in to tell the story of Calogero, a young Italian kid whose loyalties are torn between his hard working, stern, but caring father Lorenzo the bus driver, and Sonny, the flashy criminal figure who operates right down the street as he grows up during the racially divided and tense Bronx of the 1960s.
  
  While the film does contain strong shades fo Scorsese (really, how could it not?) the film avoids being a clone and is instead a rich and wonderfully observed story about differing views and philosophical beliefs, and how they work (both separately and together) to shape how someone grows up, perceives the world, and lives their life. One of the particular dimensions that is really appropriate that gets dealt with is race relations, and it is here where there are some really nice and quite moving scenes, which hit harder when taken into the broader context of Calogero's life.
  
  There's some typical gangster stuff, but De Niro treats the material with just the right touch- not shying away from it, but not going overboard. I really liked these scenes, but I think I enjoyed the other stuff involving his father and the race relations a bit more. My only real complaint is that I think the latter two could have each been dealt with just a bit more. They get decent coverage, but still, the film clearly has a favorite, even if the contest is a close one.
  
  As far as performances go, De Niro is really good as Lorenzo, He brings a great sense of authenticity and wisdom, and it's neat seeing a gnagster movie where De Niro isn't a hood. Chazz Palminteri, since the material is his, was probably the only really appropriate choice for Sonny, and he too is excellent. Francis Capra is fine as the younger Caolgero, but Lilo Brancato, Jr. is really terrific, a revelation perhaps, as the older "C". For her part, Taral Hicks is pretty good as well as Jane, "C"'s potential (forbidden) love interest.
  
  The Scorsese influence is undenianble, what with the subject mattter, and especially the music choices (as well as a couple of homage scenes), but ultimately De Niro makes the film his own, and proves that, despite putting a significant amount of focus into his performances over the years, he paid quite a lot of attenton to what the crew were doing as well. It's a shame he doesn't direct more often.
  
  All in all, a fantastic film with great messages that, while not always totally subtle, never gets too preachy or overbearing. I definitely give this one a high recommendation.

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  October 24, 2011

  phubbs1

  This was one of the first gangster films I saw I think, as a kid. Its really good, and rather under rated, the story of growing up in the Bronx with the hoods is a common one but done really well here, Palminteri is cool and quite scary as the calm yet tough hood leader. De Niro ... read morefor once is not a gangster here but good as a caring father showing the struggle between father and gangster influence, well performed. You do care for the characters here and the outcome is not clear from the start, it all looks good, sounds good, alittle cliched with the characters but thats hard to avoid with this genre. Well performed throughout, the young kids at the start are very impressive too, shame it tends to be forgotten.

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  June 19, 2011

  StarCrossedVoyager

  Not really my type of film, but with a cast this good, it proved to be rather entertaining. It was too long and I did get bored throughout and away from all the violence and hate it's a nice little film about companionship and love. Calogero really looked up to Sonny and they had... read more a friendship many people would be jealous of.

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• 
  
  January 19, 2010

  kpn666

  De Niro and Palimentieri go head to head over De Niro's son - a wonderful story!
  
  
  
  De Niro is a Bronx bus driver with a little son, Calergeo. As growing up in the Bronx, De Niro trys his best to set him on the straight and narrow. But when he and his son's paths crosses ... read morewith the local mobster, Calergeo begins to see another side to life and learns a different set of life lessons from the mobster who treats him like a brother, despite his father's disapproval. As Calergeo grows older and finally begins to make decisions for himself, he must then realise and choose where his loyalty must lie and decide how he wants his life to be, measuring the the strict, traditional life style of his fathers to the eye-opening, more relaxed ideas of the world from the mobster, who believes oppurtunity is the key to get ahead.
  
  
  
  A story about growing up and being one's own person - very rare and rarely done this well.

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• 
  
  December 19, 2009

  matertenebraum

  De Niro's bright directorial debut is a gangster movie with a difference - one with warmth and sensitivity. The vibrant voice-over narration and development of its young protagonist Calogero (a character based on Palminteri) provide it, against a traditionally colourful look at I... read moretalian American neighbourhood archetypes.
  
  Taking place in 'The Bronx' of the 1960s, Palminteri's screenplay achieves the commendable feat of detailing a glamorous, sometimes humorous look at familiar gangster territory, without straining from the intimate coming of age story at its heart.
  
  Among the many themes examined include the importance of friendship, loyalty towards family, and moral lessons of never wasting your talent and respecting others for who they are. Familiar stuff, but examined with a different kind of richness here.
  
  First seen aged 9 (Francis Capra), the Yankee supporting 'C' takes us through a daily stroll of life in his neighbourhood and his early seduction by the lifestyle of his idol Sonny. To C, Sonny is a paragon of gangster glamour, with his fearful or loving (we're never sure) associates, sky blue Cadillac and the cool use of just three figures to make a point.
  
  With Calogero appearing in virtually every scene, the depth he gives to his story is one to rival Henry Hill's in Goodfellas, though the two tales could hardly be any different. Calogero's focus is not on gaining power and joining the ranks of Mafiosos, but of growing up to learn some basic life lessons.
  
  His moral growth is assisted by two contrasting father figures: his honest-working father, who is proud of driving a bus all day so his family is able to eat steak once a week, and the ready-made wealth of Sonny.
  
  Initially, Calogero acts merely as a bystander, watching on outside his house whenever Sonny is around, imitating his every action as a way of gaining his attention. Nothing happens, Calogero tells us, until one day.
  
  Sonny takes the kid under his wing, offering him a job throwing dice in crap games, for which he wins Sonny's crowd big money, and earns a share of it himself. Sonny understands the boy, respects him like an adult and talks to him without condescending.
  
  The excellent screenplay by Chazz Palminteri provides the easiest possible platform for De Niro, who doesn't need to direct with the innovative intensity of his mentor Martin Scorsese, for the events detailed are simple enough to come vividly to life.
  
  He only a similar rock n roll soundtrack, with the songs chosen shrewdly to comment on the action. His performance as Lorenzo is also a mature one, only once recalling his wise-guy roles of past, when he postures to his son over the concept of money.
  
  Palminteri as Sonny manages to humanise an erratic, charismatic character that, in different hands, would not have worked. His story is clearly a labour of love, nostalgic without touching sentimentality, with infectious dialogue, fine set pieces, moral lessons and characters being served realistically by the story.
  
  Passionate, warm, classical storytelling. What C calls "just another Bronx Tale" is a very special experience.

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• 
  
  November 22, 2009

  ythelastman89

  It is a very well acted movie, but aside from that it is empty. Robert De Niro and Chazz Palminteri gave great performances and really had well rounded characters. The film is watchable and fun, but it is nothing but a straight adaption from the play. I feel like I was cheated ou... read moret out of what could've been a great movie.

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• 
  
  June 17, 2009

  CloudStrife84

  Pretty much a copy of Goodfellas, mixed with a touch of West Side Story. Even though De Niro's directing doesn't quite match up to Scorsese's masterfulness, this is still a great movie with some good messages, without ever being too preachy. In fact, I would definitely say it's o... read morene of the best mobster movies ever made, and has a lot more heart and feeling to it than (for example) the much overrated Godfather trilogy. My only complaint concerns the pacing, which I thought could have been a little better. I would also have liked to see Joe Pesci in a bigger role, because it's a real waste of talent to not have him appear until the last few minutes of the movie.

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• 
  
  August 25, 2008

  76Majikat

  Utterly brilliant! In De Niro's directional debut, we see him taking a back seat as a supporting actor in this film as Chazz Palminteri, takes his one man stage show to the big screen.
  
  Based on some true events in Chazz Palminteri's life growing up, A Bronx Tale saw freshly p... read morelucked actors and actresses take the main parts next to De Niro and Palminteri, in order to keep the film authentic.
  
  A Bronx Tale is a film of many layers, from the star crossed lovers, who's friends and families are against each other in a race war, to the impressionable young boy, who is raised with two father figures, one an honest hard working man, the other a mafia boss who provides glamour and money, but also, violence and mistrust.
  
  This film contains some of my favourite film quotes, along with a perfectly chosen soundrack, which emphasizes scenes all the way through the movie to add to the already powerful piece.
  
  Chazz Palminteri, really makes this character his own and for me, sets a benchmark to which other Gangster bosses should be measured against throughout this movie genre.

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• 
  
  June 24, 2008

  tsigur

  An uncensored television version of Goodfellas. DeNiro and Chazz are good, but the kids and the racial love story got on my nerves. I like the scene between the bikers and the goombas. I guess Marty was there that day and gave him some hints.

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• 
  
  March 7, 2008

  Chiefilms

  A film by De Niro that went unnoticed in every aspect. Robert De Niro in a mob movie with a pacifist role? Yea no violence by De Niro which probably turned some people off, still a good movie though.

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• Robert De Niro as Lorenzo Anello
• Chazz Palminteri as Sonny
• Lillo Brancato Jr. as Calogero Anello (Age 17)
• Francis Capra as Calogero Anello (Age 9)
• Taral Hicks as Jane
• Kathrine Narducci as Rosina Anello
• Clem Caserta as Jimmy Whispers
• Alfred Sauchelli Jr. as Bobby Bars
• Joe Pesci as Carmine

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

• 
  Casino (93%)
• 
  GoodFellas (84%)
• 
  Once Upon a Time in America (95%)
• 
  Witness (75%)

• • Calogero Anello (Age 17): Sonny had five fingers, but he only used three.
• • Lorenzo Anello: The saddest thing in life is wasted talent.

• This is a plotline from which film - "A father in N.Y.C. tries to keep his son from falling under the influence of a local mob boss"?  Answer »
• which Robert De Nero movie was NOT a Martin Scorese Film?  Answer »
• In what mobster movie was Robert DeNiro in, but was not a mobster?  Answer »
• In the movie "A Bronx Tale" what was the fathers job played by[robert deniro]?  Answer »

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