Staten Island (Little New York) (2009)
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22% of critics liked it
(9 reviews) -
29% of users liked it
(1,429 ratings)
The lives of a septic tank cleaner, an ambitious mob boss, and a deaf-mute deli worker converge in tragedy in this seriocomic crime drama from director/screenwriter James DeMonaco. Blue collar by birth, Sully Halverson (Ethan Hawke) has never amounted to much in life. When Sully finds out he's… More The lives of a septic tank cleaner, an ambitious mob boss, and a deaf-mute deli worker converge in tragedy in this seriocomic crime drama from director/screenwriter James DeMonaco. Blue collar by birth, Sully Halverson (Ethan Hawke) has never amounted to much in life. When Sully finds out he's about to become a father, he schemes to rob Parmie Tarzo (Vincent D'Onifrio), a small-time kingpin who's looking for a way to leave his mark on the world. By saving Staten Island Forest, Parmie surmises, he can mold an upstanding public persona for himself while quietly eliminating the competition behind closed doors. That's where Jasper Sabiano (Seymour Cassel) comes in. Seymour may not be able to hear or speak, but he's a hard worker who knows where his bread is buttered. When he's not serving up bagels and coffee, Jasper is dispatching bodies for Tarzo -- frequently in Staten Island Forest. But lately Jasper has been growing tired of the game, and he's desperate to find a way out. When Sully sets his plan into motion, all three men find themselves thrust into a volatile situation that threatens to destroy their plans for the future as it quickly spirals out of control. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- James DeMonaco
- Written By
- James DeMonaco
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- Nov 20, 2009 Wide
- On DVD
- Dec 22, 2009
- Studio
- National Entertainment Media
Critic Reviews
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
DeMonaco deserves credit for wanting to do something different. But what starts out as a witty tweak on tired mobster movies eventually collapses into those very same clichés.
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Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
The tonal idiosyncrasies may grate early on but things coalesce nicely until the whole thing starts to resemble a diverting short story.
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Andy Webster, New York Times
If Staten Island, New York is an ode to what it calls "the forgotten stepchild of Manhattan," it is a barbed and quirky one.
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V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Best is D'Onofrio as a gangster turned environmental activist -- he puts on a white three-piece suit, climbs to the top of a gigantic tree and refuses to come down.
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Nicolas Rapold, Time Out New York
Staten Island is not without surprises -- nor is it any good.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Ethan Hawke
as Sully Halverson
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Vincent D'Onofrio
as Parmie Tarzo
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Seymour Cassel
as Jasper Sabiano
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Julianne Nicholson
as Maria

