At Close Range
|
Our Price: $36.69 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $10.48 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of At Close Range
Movie Review: A tug-of-war between father and son in a small town with no opportunities other than crime
Summary: 4 Stars
At Close Range, which is based on a true-crime story from the 1980's, centers on the relationship between Brad Jr. (Sean Penn) and Brad Sr. (Christopher Walken). The younger Brad has a mess of a life, has no direction, and lives with his mom and a boyfriend who resents her pot-smoking grown children. Along with his brother Tommy (played by Penn's real-life brother, Chris Penn), Brad Jr. turns to his dad as a father-figure for an intro to the family business of small-time crime. Tensions run high has Brad Jr. is forced to faced the true demon his father is, and Brad Sr. has no qualms about hurting or murdering anyone, including Tommy (the bastard son) and his own son's girlfriend.
The is a gritty movie with great questions about family ties and what to do with your life when you have no real options. Most of the cast was relatively unknown at the time, so check out actors like Kiefer Sutherland, Crispin Glover, and Mary Stuart Masterson at the beginning of the careers.
Movie Review: Overlooked Gem
Summary: 4 Stars
First of all, the fact that Sean Penn, Chris Penn (much leaner), and Christopher Walken populate the cast should be reason enough to want to view this film. On various levels, however, this film delivers. It is an honest, realistic portrayal of blue-collar criminal life conspiciously (thank you very much) absent of glamor. At the heart of the movie is a love story that, well, adds heart to the dark nature of the film's (mostly true, apparently) subject matter. The cinematography captures a physical beauty of small town America that invites repeat viewings. Although a simple moral tale at its core, the film does not preach. At Close Range possesses a strangely alluring, beautiful quality. The imagery made me(naively)wish I grew up in small-town America on a farm, cliff-diving into isolated lakes and running through corn fields. Ah, movies. Bottom line, this is a SOLID movie.Movie Review: The Family Business of Crime
Summary: 4 Stars
This movie is based on the true events of a crime family from Pennsylvania. Sean Penn and Christopher Walken are both outstanding in this film. If I remember correctly, Sean Penn was married to Madonna during the time this was filmed. Madonna actually has a song that plays on the soundtrack to this film. I had never heard of the story behind this movie until the movie itself came out. Penn's character seeks the approval of his father (Walken) by following in his father's footsteps. The family business is burglary, and business is good. Greed eventually takes over and things start to fall apart for everyone in the film. Sometimes films based on true events fall short on exitement, but this one delivers the goods. Great film.Movie Review: The Writing
Summary: 4 Stars
Yes, the performances are great, but don't forget about the writing. Nicholas Kazan's script has some great lines, mostly spoken by Walken. For example:
"You'll come back, crawlin' back sayin' daddy daddy give me somethin." and
"Whatever I see that moves, has my name writ on it: Brad Whitewood, please hold for delivery."or
"What do you want to hear? I love ya? Is that it? I love ya. I got feelin' for ya."
I could go on. Kazan captures the vernacular of the mid-Atlantic Pennsylvanian perfectly. And Walken sounds like he grew up there. Fast forward through some of Foley's excesses (the swimming hole scene, the corn field scene with M.ST. Mast.) to get to the heart of the matter.
Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 4 Stars
I felt it was very realistic for a movie of this type. I personally feel that people who live this lifestyle are often presented with this odd and BS sense of character/image. Many people with this life are not businessmen in three piece suits. They're often very brutal men, with zero boundries. I thinks it's funny to some degree because there seems to be at least one family like this in every small town. They live in a mobile home and they steal everyone in the town blind, as well as have much more money than they appear. Much like in this movie. When they're seen, people in town will always talk or tell stories they heard. Some true....others not. I felt this flick had superb acting, and I enjoyed it very much.