Bill Osteen

The depiction of the close ties within a family that has been committed to criminal enterprise is rarely as realistic as this movie. In real life, especially within some ethnic families (in this case, Italian), younger generations are dealing with life’s issues in their particular situations and are shielded from any clear understanding of what the older influential family members actually do. Val Kilmer’s character is revered by his nephew despite the fact that he is a victim of violence that is a result of his criminal lifestyle. He is a beloved uncle first. The decision to contain all the action within a single night was compelling story telling.