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Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, Moira Kelly, Vanessa Redgrave, Maximilian Schell ... see more see more... , Paul Guilfoyle , Natalya Andreichenko , David Vadim , Mina Bern , Ron Brice , David Ross , Maximillian Schell

A somber portrait of organized crime and family trauma, Little Odessa centers on the trouble caused when hit man Joshua Shapira (Tim Roth) returns to his old neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. ... read more read more...A hired killer for the Russian Mafia, Joshua is given an assignment in his hometown, where he renews contact with his younger brother Reuben (Edward Furlong) and an old flame (Moira Kelly). But others do not welcome Joshua's return, particularly his harsh, estranged father (Maximillian Schell), who had disowned Joshua years before and currently attempts to keep him from visiting his seriously ill mother (Vanessa Redgrave). The pressure of these family crises combine with Joshua's deepening involvement in the local crime scene, ultimately triggering a bloody confrontation. First-time director James Gray creates a solemn, oppressive atmosphere that emphasizes the already grim nature of his story. The slow pace and familiar crime narrative were attacked by many viewers, contributing to a mixed critical reaction, but Little Odessa nevertheless won admiration for Gray's visual sense and the skilled performance by Roth in the unsympathetic lead role. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Flixster Users

68% liked it

3,873 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

18 critics

R, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: James Gray

Release Date: May 19, 1995

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DVD Release Date: March 16, 1999

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Stats: 122 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (122)

  • Tss807
    November 15, 2011
    Tss807
    Billed as another Goodfellas, Little Odessa is the story of a mafia hitman returning home to do a job, as well as seeing the poor immigrant family he left behind. The story is great, the movie is not. Tim Roth is fantastic as the disowned, disgraced, murderous son. Roth always gi... read moreves a very strong performance and does so again here. Edward Furlong, one of my favorites, unfortunately does not do as well. I've seen him in enough things to know, it's not his fault, it's the writing. This film is so dark and painfully slow that I barely made it through. Very little is explained and the dialogue is laughable, even at times non-existent. There are huge plot holes to go along with an ending that makes little sense. The writer was trying to tell his story more through imagery and symbolism in a genre that is based on action. You can't pull off something like this without explaining more of the story and using it to move things along. It's not the worst film I've ever seen, but to be honest, I was bored from start to finish.
  • fb704730572
    April 10, 2011
    fb704730572
    Never quite reaching its' full potential, Little Odessa still stands as a testament as to the underrated abilities of Tim Roth, while also offering a dark, more realistic look into the mob world than most films.
  • Chosen718
    June 1, 2009
    Chosen718
    Good film, good performances.
  • thereverendtholomewplague
    January 8, 2010
    thereverendtholomewplague
    An excellent movie. Very cold, dark and deep.
    Somewhat touching as well. It was very well-acted.
    Interesting storyline, but pretty sad as well.
    Ending was cut off a bit too quickly though. It had a rough one.
    The movie had sort of an eerie feeling to it.
    Enjoyed it nonetheless. ... read moreAmazing performances..
  • ragingbull1990
    January 17, 2008
    ragingbull1990
    After seeing this movie, I'm glad I didn't see this before James Gray's other movies. Because then i would not have been interested in his other works (The Yards, We Own The Night) which I actually really liked. The main problem with this movie is it is very directionless. It ... read morejust meanders. But I'll give the ending some props. But all in all, see Gray's other works. He has matured very much between this and The Yards.
  • lisaann1213
    May 29, 2007
    lisaann1213
    I love this movie. So touching & yet so tragic. Even in the midst of two totally seperate lives, Furlong & Roth are totally believable as brothers.

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Critic Reviews

Emanuel Levy
March 13, 2008
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

This dark, brooding family melodrama, set against the context of Brooklyn's Russian-Jewish mob, is well acted by Tim Roth, Maximillian Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, and Edward Furlong. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
March 27, 2006
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Desperately trying to say something complex, it only manages to look as if it said something that mattered. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
September 7, 2011
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

David Rooney
March 27, 2009
David Rooney, Variety

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Caryn James
May 20, 2003
Caryn James, New York Times

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April 12, 2002
Globe and Mail

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Peter Rainer
February 13, 2001
Peter Rainer, Los Angeles Times

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James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

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Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

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Mick LaSalle
January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

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