1st watched 11/7/2002 - 2 out of 10(Dir-John Bianco): Pretty lame gangster movie about a Godfather-like family in Brooklyn who like to say four-letter words a lot and kill people. The only thing of interest here was their attempt to show the feds being a lot like the gang. This is the only attempt at good film-making. The rest of the movie was predictable, and cheaply-made. The quality of the photography on some of the scenes inside bars and floozy joints almost made you think there was a problem with your DVD player because of the bad contrasts and some of the actors were hard to hear at times because of the bad sound. The acting was pretty-much characatures of all your favorite gangsters from better movies with corny names like Vinnie `Knuckles' and Jimmie `Tattoos', and the plot pretty much followed those patterns as well. So, go see a better gangster movie before you put your money out for this one.
5 Reviews
Small Budget But HUGE Talents!
wilbfit21 February 2006
I just had the great pleasure of seeing this movie on DVD and I'm glad I did!
It goes to prove that you don't always necessarily need a huge budget for a film when you have such talented writers and actors at the helm!
It was "Goodfellas" meets early Quentin Tarantino.
The scenes of the card game, the restaurant and others that feature the banter among "The Crew" is entertaining and funny.
Some of the sound, camera shots and editing were not what one would find in a major Hollywood production, but the lack of a big budget worked in this film's favor because of the documentary style and realistic feel to the scenes.
I was impressed by some of the beautiful location footage of Coney Island and other parts of Brooklyn along with Manhattan, Long Island and New Jersey.
The main rule of an actor is NOT to appear like you ARE acting, and being originally from Brooklyn the actors in this film came across as naturals and reminded me of some people I knew years ago, LOL!
John Bianco's direction was right on and his character and narration took the viewer into a very dangerous yet fascinating look at the lavish mob life and it's consequences.
Michael Gerace's "Vinny Knuckles" displayed both compassion and a deadly side. He could be a very loyal friend, but be sure never to cross him or stand in his way!
Anthony Gerace played the role of mob boss "Frankie T" without overdoing it. His passionate eyes and dominant eyebrows expressed the intensity, temperament and responsibility required for such a strong character whose well being relies literally on "trust". He came across as a believable person who is definitely "in charge" of his crew, who carries the weight of authority and the fate of others at his command.
If you get the chance to see this DVD please do so and enjoy!
I'm looking forward to the next film collaboration by these talented good fellas.
It goes to prove that you don't always necessarily need a huge budget for a film when you have such talented writers and actors at the helm!
It was "Goodfellas" meets early Quentin Tarantino.
The scenes of the card game, the restaurant and others that feature the banter among "The Crew" is entertaining and funny.
Some of the sound, camera shots and editing were not what one would find in a major Hollywood production, but the lack of a big budget worked in this film's favor because of the documentary style and realistic feel to the scenes.
I was impressed by some of the beautiful location footage of Coney Island and other parts of Brooklyn along with Manhattan, Long Island and New Jersey.
The main rule of an actor is NOT to appear like you ARE acting, and being originally from Brooklyn the actors in this film came across as naturals and reminded me of some people I knew years ago, LOL!
John Bianco's direction was right on and his character and narration took the viewer into a very dangerous yet fascinating look at the lavish mob life and it's consequences.
Michael Gerace's "Vinny Knuckles" displayed both compassion and a deadly side. He could be a very loyal friend, but be sure never to cross him or stand in his way!
Anthony Gerace played the role of mob boss "Frankie T" without overdoing it. His passionate eyes and dominant eyebrows expressed the intensity, temperament and responsibility required for such a strong character whose well being relies literally on "trust". He came across as a believable person who is definitely "in charge" of his crew, who carries the weight of authority and the fate of others at his command.
If you get the chance to see this DVD please do so and enjoy!
I'm looking forward to the next film collaboration by these talented good fellas.
For what these guys had to work with I SAY BRAVO!
bensonhurst-328 June 2005
Big congratulations to this very talented group of artists! I just finished watching BROOKLYN BOYS (much better title than Deadly Ties) and found it a wonderful exhibit of how much you can achieve without any major resources. Acting is above par and John Richardson's videography is great (again considering the equipment limitations). The Gerace bros. are a pleasure to watch on the screen. The only major distraction I had was the poor audio mix, but again, the shoestring budget is a very valid excuse for this. Storywise, I was hoping for the "new girl" at the end, poolside, to be an undercover Fed. Anyway, for what it's worth, I suggest that filmmakers on "no budget" check this out, and fans of the mob genre will find it entertaining. Good luck guys on the new DVD release.
Makes Sopranos look like silly..
mackdaddyspliffs14 December 2003
IF you like Sopranos you will love Brooklyn boys, i mean FUGHEDABOUTIT, this is right up there with GOODFELLAS, it just goes to show you that when you dont have a major film studio backing you, you can end up being a direct to video release, but oh what a gem...A must add to any gangster film afficianados dvd collection!!but dont look for it at blockbuster..they dont have it, i found it in a little mom n pop video store...and boy am i glad i did..
GREAT FILM MAKING
charliemikealfa31 July 2002
THIS IS A MUST SEE FILM. THESE GUYS ARE THE REAL DEAL.. HBO! Are you out there? this is your new series. see this movie several times. There is hope for movies yet. It has got the "feel".there is so much garbage now that passes for movies. These is a cure for the movie "woes"
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
