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Alec Baldwin, Freddie Prinze Jr., Mena Suvari, Jerry Ferrara, Scott Caan ... see more see more... , Monica Keena , Robert Turano , Phyllis Kay

Director Michael Corrente's coming-of-age comedy drama Brooklyn Rules unfurls in 1985, coincident with the early rise of John Gotti. Three young Brooklyn men of Italian-American heritage -- Michael Tu... read more read more...rner (Freddie Prinze Jr.), Carmine Mancuso (Scott Caan), and Bobby Canzoneri (Jerry Ferrara) -- make the pivotal, potentially irreversible choices that will determine their directions in life. The boys' periodic run-ins with a sadistic mobster type who rules the neighborhood, Caesar Manganaro (Alec Baldwin), suggest the ever-present option of drifting into a career of crime. On the surface, Michael courageously and doggedly bucks this choice, opting instead for the pre-law program at Columbia and a straight-laced romance with blonde-haired, blue-eyed coed Ellen (Mena Suvari), yet this path is not as antiseptic as it may seem, for he actually scammed his way into the law program. Meanwhile, Carmine idolizes Caesar, and his desire to emulate this thug not only compromises his own moral integrity, but threatens to jeopardize the stability of Michael's life as well by drawing him into a sticky web of criminal activity. While the first two men navigate these treacherous paths, the third friend, Bobby, stakes out safer ground with a low-key job at the post office and married life with his intended. Over the course of it all, the boys' bonds of friendship become stressed and strained given the divergence of their paths. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

Flixster Users

51% liked it

16,975 ratings

Critics

45% liked it

40 critics

R, 1 hr. 39 min.

Directed by: Michael Corrente

Release Date: May 18, 2007

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DVD Release Date: September 18, 2007

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Stats: 631 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (631)

  • 76Majikat
    February 17, 2009
    76Majikat
    This film tried a little too hard to be a cheap similar film to ?A Bronx Tale?, but didn?t quite live up to it in the way of casting, storyline or dialogue. Freddie Prinze Jr narrates throughout, which makes it all a little too cheesy for a serious gangster film. With Alec Bal... read moredwin as the main attraction in the film, I?m sure many people would have passed this one by.

    If you can watch this film without all the comparisons to other Gangster films, then it?s a passable story, but there have been too many better movies within this genre to become any kind of a contender.
  • dunmyer
    June 1, 2007
    dunmyer
    [size=3]If you like TV mini-series, you'll probably enjoy Brooklyn Rules. It's a nearly perfect specimen of that genre.[/size]

    [size=3]It clearly is designed for the USA Network (or TNT -- We Know Drama!). How it ended up in theatrical release is beyond me. When I troop out to ... read morea theater, clocking in all that travel time, the last thing I want to see is television. [/size]

    [size=3][b]Alec Baldwin[/b] looms large in the print ads, but he's only in a few scenes. The movie belongs to [b]Freddie Prinze Jr.[/b], who's the quintessence of a television actor. I could even see him as a talk-show host. He probably could do more, but either he's chosen to limit himself or no serious producers will hire him. It's probably a little of both.[/size]

    [size=3]Prinze plays a boy growing up in 1970s-80s Brooklyn. He has two best friends, and we watch them experience late adolescence as a trio. We get the standard TV caricatures: one boy goes to college, one flirts with joining the mob, and one seems destined to work in the Post Office. Alec Baldwin plays one of the local mob figures. [/size]

    [size=3]The central drama surrounds the college boy's experience learning the ways of the Manhattan bourgeoisie (the college he goes to is Columbia), and the mob-wannabe trying to decide if he should join organized crime. One sidelight to the drama is that a lot of mob history is imparted. I never knew, for example, that there was a terribly bloody succession struggle whose victor was John Gotti. In the 1980s the last thing I cared about was staying on top of the NYC mob.[/size]

    [size=3]Surprisingly, there are quite a few good laughs in the script, mostly in the form of banter between the boys. One boy has an unusual flair when it comes to fashion. When he dons an argyle sweater, his buddy says he looks like "the Italian Fred MacMurray." I howled at that.[/size]

    [size=3]The greatest pleasure I had in Brooklyn Rules were the handful of times Alec Baldwin came on-screen. His mixture of menace and grace was quite profound; a heady cinematic cocktail that was infinitely more interesting than anything I've seen from James Gandolfini.[/size]

    [size=3]Baldwin's blue eyes never looked more piercing and scary. He gives movie-star charisma such a good name. I believe Baldwin has talent at the level of Sean Penn, but I sense that Baldwin himself doesn't believe that's the case. If he believed in his own talent more, I think he'd be rolling in Oscars. I sense some kind of hesitation in him that prevents his performances from really breaking through.[/size]
  • Yinali
    September 24, 2007
    Yinali
    Cool movie.
  • Chosen718
    December 30, 2011
    Chosen718
    Solid film, it should have been released in theaters everywhere.
  • DrLappos
    August 13, 2008
    DrLappos
    Three Brooklyn boys growing around the mafia whilst getting older.....Despite this it is actually a really good movie.
  • jusstpete
    May 13, 2012
    jusstpete
    This film tried a little too hard to be a cheap similar film to ?A Bronx Tale?, but didn?t quite live up to it in the way of casting, storyline or dialogue.
  • lizhealth1
    August 14, 2011
    lizhealth1
    Great Movie, I was so impressed with Carmine in this movie, I thought who is that fella, he has to be the new James Caan. Only to find out that is his son. This was a great movie, they all did such a great job. Five Stars
  • justinquinn99
    December 13, 2008
    justinquinn99
    I was really impressed with this film. I didn't think it would be as good as it was. It isn't a big budget movie or one that has had a lot of publicity but it was very good. Everything about this film was awesome...the acting, plot, action etc.
  • julietspencer1980
    December 1, 2008
    julietspencer1980
    I loved this movie. I am fan of all 3 guys here....and Mena Suvari of course. I totally cried when they killed off Jerry Ferrara's character though. He was so on his way to the good stuff.
  • kirkkwilliams
    October 8, 2008
    kirkkwilliams
    A descent, second-string wiseguy movie in the vein of "A Bronx Tale".
    Despite the heavy plot, the film does induce smurks, if not laughs. Not a bad film, but a classic?.. fugettaboutit.

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Critic Reviews

John Anderson
September 22, 2007
John Anderson, Variety

A sometimes funny, occasionally maudlin coming-of-age dramedy that wants to be Goodfellas but might have been called Mild in the Streets. Full Review

Stephen Holden
September 22, 2007
Stephen Holden, New York Times

However authentic and heartfelt this film's depiction of life on the meaner streets of the Northeast corridor may be, it doesn't begin to match The Sopranos' epic vision of violence, class struggle an...

Kevin Crust
September 20, 2007
Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times

Whether it's read as an exclamation of borough pride or as a set of unwritten laws governing its residents, the movie takes a well-trodden path in chronicling the lives of three Italian American frien... Full Review

Mick LaSalle
July 13, 2007
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

Capturing Manhattan's essence is easy. But capturing life inside provincial New York City -- is something that eludes most filmmakers...And now add Brooklyn Rules to the short list of movies that get ... Full Review

Desson Thomson
July 13, 2007
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Against all odds, it remains surprisingly watchable. Full Review

Terry Lawson
July 13, 2007
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

...Winter's coming-of-age-in-the-1980s saga is content to rewalk the same mean streets, never ducking into one alley or back room we haven't visited. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
May 30, 2007
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Years after Federal Hill (1994), director Michael Corrente is still doing low-budget Mean Streets knockoffs. Full Review

Lisa Rose
May 18, 2007
Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger

Once you get beyond the surface clichés, there's truth and sincerity in the dialogue and performances. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
May 18, 2007
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

Vivid work by Alec Baldwin as a brutal Gambino crime family captain isn't enough to justify the sub-Scorsese stylings of Michael Corrente's Brooklyn Rules. Full Review

Jack Mathews
May 18, 2007
Jack Mathews, New York Daily News

Though the three friends at the center of the story don't always look or sound smart, the movie does both. Full Review

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  • Who was the sweetest guy in the world in Brooklyn Rules ?[ per narator]  Answer »
  • Who is vain in Brooklyn Rules ?  Answer »
  • When the boys found a man shot to death what did Carmen keep in Brooklyn Rules ?  Answer »
  • When the boys found a man shot what did Bobby keep in Brooklyn Rules?  Answer »
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