State of Grace (Widescreen)

Sean Penn (Actor), Ed Harris (Actor) | Rated: R (Restricted) | Format: DVD

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

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Product Details

Actors: Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Language: English
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Region: (US and Canada This DVD will probably NOT be viewable in other countries. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Number of discs: 1
MPAA Rating:
Studio: Fox Video
Release Date: April 1 2003
Run Time: 134 minutes

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (21 customer reviews)

ASIN: B00006L92U
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #22,727 in DVD (See Top 100 in DVD)
- #51 in DVD > Mystery & Suspense > Crime > Gangsters
- #58 in DVD > Mystery & Suspense > Neo-Noir

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

Overshadowed by GoodFellas when it was released in 1990, State of Grace gradually emerged as one of the best New York gangster films of its decade. It was also the first to feature the Irish American mob known as the Westies. Here, their territory west of Times Square is being gentrified by an unwelcome infusion of yuppie cash, squeezing them into a reluctant alliance with Mafia kingpins. Frankie (Ed Harris) is the boss; little brother Jackie (Gary Oldman) is his volatile muscle; their friend Terry (Sean Penn) has returned from an extended absence, harboring a dangerous secret while rekindling his love for Frankie and Jackie's sister Kathleen (Robin Wright, Penn's future wife). Giving one of his scariest, most violent performances, Oldman offers stark, brutal contrast to Harris's pent-up fury, while Penn breathes life into his character's standard-issue dilemma. A former protégé of Steven Spielberg's, director Phil Joanou handles this gritty potboiler with confident, unobtrusive style, ramping up the tension of divided loyalties, even as the plot grows increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon

Description

New York City's Hell's Kitchen is a pressure cooker of pent-up anger and it's about to explode! Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, John Turturro and John C. Reilly deliver exceptional performances (The Hollywood Reporter) in this finely drawn tale of betrayal, redemption and guilt (Los Angeles) that'll put you on the edge of your seat (Newsweek)! Terry Noonan (Penn) returns to his old neighborhood with a score to settle. He's now an undercover cop dead-set on taking down an Irish mob family headed by Frankie Flannery (Harris) and his hot-headed brother Jackie (Oldman). But when Noonan infiltrates the family, his old feelings for the Flannerys sister (Wright) further heighten the stakes as he enters a violent showdown with them during a crowded St. Patrick's Day Parade!

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

A character acting free for all Jun 2 2005

By Torval Mork TOP 100 REVIEWER

Format:DVD

Phil Joanou had an incredible palette of talent to work with in creating this dark and troublesome work of art. Even the lesser parts are filled with personalities such as John Turturro, Robin Wright (then without the Penn), RD Call, John C. Reilly and Burgess Meredith. The score composed by Ennio Morricone has a haunting, eerie saunter, infected with an obvious full note that jerks you out of its hypnotic trance. Watching this film in 2005 takes one back to a number of other great and powerful films of the early 90's that used the noir anti-heroes as their central character. Comparing State of Grace to Abel Ferrara pieces such as Bad Lieutenant and King of New York would not be far-fetched.

Penn's performance as Terry is wrought with inner turmoil, culminating in his bedside confession to Wright's Kathleen. While explaining Hell's Kitchen and it's irk to Turturro he wanes "we're Irish, all we know how to do is drink," a telling testimony that typifies the culture soon to be taken over by the newly christened Clinton inner-city development. His inward reflection is mirrored by the exuberance of Jackie, played with perfection by Oldman. With his cavalier swagger he seems to lack the part of the genetic code that relays fear. Jackie takes risk to new levels while seriously jeopardizing older brother Frankie's (Harris) plans to form an alliance with elements of the Italian mob. Harris's taught composure throughout the film is a fine study in character definition; a true Jeckyl and Hyde persona, playing the suburban family man by day, and slitting the throats of childhood friends by night.

We've seen little in the form of feature offerings from Joanou, aside from U2's Rattle and Hum and Heaven's Prisoners. It is interesting to note his continuing contribution to U2's music video collection, as well as a number of TV commercials. His close association with the mega band lent a big break in acquiring music rights for his 2000 production Entropy.

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The Best Gangster Film Ever Made Jan 30 2005

By A Customer

Format:DVD

This film catches absolutey brilliant performances by 6 very talanted actors. The theme is real. Read a book called The Westies by T.J. English and you will see how close this film is to real life. The moods, the scenes, the dialogue and the story all work up to a true masterpeice. This is an undiscovered treasure and if director Phil Joanou only made one brilliant work then this is it. It happens to many artists. Nevertheless this film is fantastic work of art.

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