The Narrows (2008)
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23% of critics liked it
(13 reviews) -
49% of users liked it
(472 ratings)
A 20-year-old man at a crucial crossroads in life finds himself caught between two worlds and two women in director François Velle's feature adaptation of author Tom McLoughlin's original novel Heart of the Old Country. Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers) is a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn shutterbug who… More A 20-year-old man at a crucial crossroads in life finds himself caught between two worlds and two women in director François Velle's feature adaptation of author Tom McLoughlin's original novel Heart of the Old Country. Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers) is a Bay Ridge, Brooklyn shutterbug who lives with his father, Vinny (Vincent D'Onofrio), a former Department of Sanitation worker who is now retired on disability. Despite the fact that Vinny is officially retired, he still manages to draw a healthy income thanks to his side job as Bay Ridge's main numbers runner. It's Mike's job to drive his father on his "rounds," and while Vinny is taking care of business Mike passes the time by snapping pictures of the neighborhood locals. Seeing great promise in Mike's impressive portfolio, an influential professor offers the amateur photographer a partial scholarship to a high-profile university in Manhattan. It's the opportunity of a lifetime to be sure, though Mike soon finds out that there are strings attached. Unfortunately for Mike, Vinny is a proud man who refuses to allow his son to seek out financial aid. But Vinny has underestimated his son's desire to accomplish something more in life, and before long Mike is leading a double life in order to forge ahead into the future. Unbeknownst to his father, Mike accepts a job delivering "packages" for a local mobster named Tony (Titus Welliver). But while the job does help Mike bring in the cash he needs to cover his tuition, his two worlds begin to collide after he meets beautiful and refined fellow student Kathy (Sophia Bush). Unfortunately Mike's longtime girlfriend, Gina (Monica Keena), is none too happy about this latest development, and the situation quickly begins to spiral out of control. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Directed By
- François Velle
- Written By
- Tatiana Blackington
- Genres
- Drama
R,
- In Theaters
- Sep 8, 2008 Wide
- Studio
- Cinedigm Entertainment
Critic Reviews
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Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
François Velle's local crime drama is so earnest, it feels unkind to tell the truth -- which is that we've seen this story, told in just this way, too many times before.
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, New York Post
A tired and derivative plot builds up to an unconvincing series of shootings with which the movie fills its violence quota.
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Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times
The Narrows is too riddled with clichés reaching past Scorsese all the way to Cagney flicks to be any more effective than a mowed-down capo.
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Stephen Holden, New York Times
Until it implodes with preposterous plot manipulations, The Narrows can be appreciated as the film equivalent of a reasonably palatable pasta dish concocted from a familiar recipe and served in a no-frills restaurant.
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Hank Sartin, Time Out New York
Imagine Mean Streets with less grit, unconvincing casting and none of Scorsese's tortured Catholic guilt.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Kevin Zegers
as Mike Manadoro
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Vincent D'Onofrio
as Vinny Manadoro
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Sophia Bush
as Kathy
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Eddie Cahill
as Nicky Shades
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Titus Welliver
as Tony
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Monica Keena
as Gina
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Roger Rees
as Professor Reyerson
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Tony Cucci
as Big Lou
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Michael Kelly
as Danny
