User Reviews

Is this the most fun movie you'll ever see? No. Is it the most comedic roles for Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf? Not even close. Somewhere in Queens is, however, a different approach to showing just how deep family love can go. Right or wrong, funny, sad...real genuine love for family is a gift, and that is the true message here.

Somewhere in Queens is well-written, well-acted, and leaves you thinking about the several storylines days after seeing it. Family dynamics are always thought provoking, yes?!

To me, Sadie Stanley (a doppelgänger to Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You) is the standout here. Forget about her character Dani being the most grounded of all in the film, I found myself looking forward to her appearing on the screen. You're never really sure what Dani is going to say, but it's always with tons of heart.

This film is worth your time.

Ever since I stopped using DVDs I know I've been missing out on independent films. The previews always turned me onto something else I'd want to see, but we don't have that so much with streaming. This is the kind of independent movie I worry about missing out on.

I'm SO glad this movie was available on Hulu. Its a film about a family, but not necessarily a family film. I cried, laughed and rooted for everyone in it. There were no bad guys in it, just people who loved each other that sometimes did the wrong thing for the right reasons.

Movies as sweet as this, without being saccharine, are few and far between. As someone who never watched his show and disappointed with his earlier movies, I actually now want to check out more Ray Romano stuff of the last 5 years or so.

I'm glad I stumbled across this movie on Hulu and gave it a try. Seeing Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf as the leads clinched it for me, and it's totally worth the watch.

I'm not going to give you a recap like a lot of other raters do, because, hey... The description of the movie does that.

However, I could easily imagine something like this playing out in homes around the world, where we all can (sometimes) try too hard to make something happen, even if it means stepping on some toes.

I mean, don't ALL parents want to help their children achieve greatness in one form or another?

And the wedding where it all comes out? Who hasn't had a family reunion like this at one time or another?

Romano and Metcalf were both fantastic in this and believable as a married couple. The family members, always in their business, were also just as real.

This is a really good way to spend a couple hours to escape.

"I love youse both." A partier at the wedding-reception

Somewhere in Queens is about blue-collar Italians whose diction may be rough but whose hearts are the real thing. Director Ray Romano, not a stranger to playing a loveable schlub, is Leo, an outer-borough Italian-American father who works a little too hard at times to propel his basketball-adept son "Sticks" into a scholarship at a small college, Drexel, in Philadelphia. With some accuracy this dramedy has been labeled "crowd-pleasing." Just think Everybody Loves Raymond for the big screen with longer time to flesh out character.

Romano directs and acts with a strength and depth he couldn't have for a network sitcom.

Working during the day for his old-school dad (Tony LoBianco) in construction, Leo attends all Sticks' games, brags about him, and regales everyone all the time about scenes from Rocky. Leo's attention at the games hints at his need to be acclaimed where he'll never be by his family.

The family feel here is authentic Italian, from the pasta-heavy dinners with friendly shouting to family secrets sharing, peppered with love and "youse" and an authentic "Mangia tutti." As the shiest of the Corleone-like family, Leo has given this introversion to Sticks.

Quite differently, Thelma Ritter-like wife, Angela (Laurie Metcalf), after her breast cancer went into remission takes an extroverted hard line about husband Leo's gaffs and about Sticks' new love going south.

Sticks' fumbling his new love, Dani (Sadie Stanley), has all the earmarks of his Dad's ability to screw up the easiest plans. Indeed, when Leo begs Dani to stay with Sticks through the tryouts for Drexel, he's tripping right into his biggest fatherly mistake ever.

Although Leo regularly fumbles such as the wedding speech he asks the videographer to erase, his heart is always there and big as when he makes a decision about having an affair with an attractive widower (Jennifer Esposito as the year's best MILF). Even his mistake about his son's scholarship is rooted in love mixed with a bit of harmless personal gain.

See this low-key, soft comedy for a pleasant evening with the family if only to meet shy, big-hearted Leo. He's a loveable dad and husband and father. Just like Raymond.

Greetings again from the darkness. Big Italian families in New York offer a smorgasbord of opportunities for interesting stories and characters. Ray Romano from "Everybody Loves Raymond" takes on his first feature film as writer-director, and he and co-writer Mark Stegemann ("Scrubs") embrace the noise and combustibility of just such a family. During the story they make us laugh and cringe.

Romano also stars as Leo Russo, husband to Angela (Laurie Metcalf, "Roseanne") and father to "Sticks" (relative newcomer Jacob Ward). What we soon figure out is that Leo is a helicopter parent to high school basketball star Sticks, while Mom is overprotective and scared of losing her son ... while being constantly annoyed with everything due to another issue she's trying to deal with on her own. We also see Leo works in the family construction business for his dad (Tony Lo Bianco) and douchey brother (Sebastian Maniscalo), both of whom show him no respect.

Sticks is an extremely quiet and shy high schooler who has battled anxiety issues his entire life. Both parents are shocked to discover he has a girlfriend. Dani (Sadie Stanley, "The Goldbergs") is a free-spirit who is ready to shake the dust of Queens as soon as she graduates. She and Sticks couldn't be any more different as she is confident and outgoing in contrast to his usual state of withdrawn.

During one of the big family Sunday dinners, we get one of the best meatball jokes ever, and the many family events (weddings, babies, etc) provide numerous opportunities for gags and punchlines. Beyond the comedy, there is true drama on display, and it kicks into uncomfortable gear when helicopter dad displays extremely poor judgment ... made worse that he's doing it for the wrong reason. His actions send shockwaves through the family. Parents often use "their kid's best interest" as a reason for making decisions, but here it's obvious to all (except Leo) that self-interest was the driving force.

There is a bit of a sitcom feel to the film at times, but the cast certainly elevates the project making the situations more believable. It's awesome to see Tony Lo Bianco with a substantive role. He was everywhere in the 1970s and 1980s, including classic films THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971) and THE SEVEN-UPS (1973). Ramono, Metcalf, and Maniscalo are all fine in their roles, and additional support work comes from John Manfrellotti, Jennifer Esposito ("Blue Bloods"), and Karen Lynn Gurney (for the SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER fans). But the real find here is Sadie Stanley and her electrifying smile. She is a true rising star. The film is full of characters who are all frightened or unsure, and despite the iffy family dynamics, it's a reminder that each person must find their own way in life, even if the support from their family is a bit shaky.

My Review - Somewhere in Queens

My Rating 7/10. In cinemas

If you enjoy an uncomplicated, entertaining family movie full of diverse characters from an ethnic background in this case Italian I think this movie fills that category well.

The Script is Co Written by Ray Romano and Mark Stegemann and tells the story of the Russo's an Italian-American family headed by Leo played by Ray Romano who also directed the movie and his wife Angela my favourite character in the movie beautifully played by Laurie Metcalf.

Laurie Metcalf as Angela doesn't hold back and isn't subtle in voicing her opinions on her husband's defects of character or her sons choice in a girlfriend.

This movie is a familiar tale of a father Leo who lives a blue collar life living his unfulfilled dreams through his sons sporting prowess . He attends every basketball match barracking from the sidelines . He is concerned with his son's ambition goes to devious lengths to make certain his lanky good natured son 'Sticks' gets a place in a Sports College that will take him out of the family's traditional business that will launch him toward a professional career.

Somewhere in Queens has a delightful cast that includes many actors I'm not familiar with including Jacob Ward who plays Matthew 'Sticks' Russo the son .

He's not your usual ego driven sports jock . 'Sticks' personality has a quiet naivety . 'Sticks excels on the basketball court but his courtship and infatuation with his more worldly girlfriend Dani also played delightfully by Sadie Stanley is problematic. I read that Jacob Ward played basketball in high school, but realized he wasn't good enough to go pro, so he decided to pursue his second passion acting and he looks promising in his first major role .

There's a lot of fun and the usual big Italian family gatherings and interactions in Somewhere in Queens I really enjoyed it.

When I saw the cast and that it would be Romano's first time directing, I was curious to check out Somewhere in Queens. There seems to be some discontent amongst some viewers regarding tha description and the outcome. The marketing says both comedy and drama. While I don't think that was completely correct, I don't quite think it was completely wrong either. The word comedy is kind of loaded and creates expectations of laughs and potential hilarity. Somewhere in Queens is clear with its drama but I consider it more humorous, which to me suggests something more subtle, like a chuckle here or there, or you think to yourself 'that was kind of funny' but not really any out-loud laughter. That is what Somewhere in Queens gives the viewer, and I think it did both drama and humor fairly well. Along with a dose of sentiment, it all works and I think worth checking out.

All of the other reviews have touched upon just how funny, touching and well acted this movie is. I would like to further add that the characters, family chemistry and the timing of the dialogue was outstanding. It rivals Moonstruck with its situational comedy, and it occasionally exceeds it. The real deal for me were the depth of the family secrets, how they bubbled to the surface and the pain/hurt that can be inflicted. It was raw and painful. Frankly, I couldn't see how they could overcome it. However, this movie really shines when it shows the strength of the family, how they overcome it and actual grow from it. I can't say anything more without giving away something so I would strongly encourage you to see it for yourself.

People say this is one of the worst eras of filmmaking. Movies like this prove to me that simply isn't true. We are in what I would consider in what I would consider a golden age of "coming of age" films. Movies like Coda, Lady Bird, Wildflower, and Eighth Grade were excellent at capturing the human adolescent condition in the 21st century. Somewhere in Queens continues that trend while bringing something completely unique and fresh to the genre. Romano has taken some interesting roles in the past few years - movies like The Big Sick, The Irishman, and Paddleton really showed his range as an actor. He's just as good in this as anything he's done, and also showed his chops as a director. I really can't wait to see where his career goes next.

Going into this movie, I had some doubts cuz it didn't seem interesting or anything. Oh boy was I wrong. This movie had heart, it felt with relatable things and was honest and sent a message out. It had a great plot and was very relatable. The storyline and plot was actually kinda unique. I liked it it was different. Rays character was interesting as it wasn't something we've seen him really play before. It was funny just as much as it was honest and real. Oh man, was it sidle funny. My whole house was laughing throughout the whole movie. The Mother was so funny. Her character, mannerisms and lines made her so funny and really made a movie highlight. She gave the movie so much comedy and entertainment. I loved it and I think it deserves way more buzz!

A little bit of everything, happy sad glad mad. Emotional for me ... a few tears, a lot of thought provoking and family dynamics, and in the end LOVE. Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf played roles different from their usual. Yes Ray had his comedy show but this was different for me. He showed a different side that took me by surprise. They were very authentic people with many complexities, It is the kind of movie I would want to watch again, to catch what I missed. To let it sink in even more the depth of it. I had read years ago that if you still think of the movie going home and thereafter, it is a story that has moved or effected you. The son and his girlfriend were very good, awkward and sensitive and sweet together. And for teenagers, very smart.

I normally don't write reviews, but this movie is the exception. I'm also an Italian from Queens and boy he captured the feeling! I felt I was home - thanks for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon with your movie family.

What a sweet movie about an over the top dad and an underwhelming Dad. His relationship with his father and his son is such a contrast.

Ray again deliveries a wholesome and heartwarming character and movie. There are few laughs, but a solid story. Being a man of a certain age also and having a son the relationship in the movie is close to my heart and could feel his emotions and concept of doing anything for your son's success is special.

Both my wife and I enjoyed the movie. The mark of a good movie is you are still talking about it day later and this is that movie. Love the cast and the performances. Love to continuation the movie to see where it goes - a part 2. Great to see Ray on the big screen instead of TBS every night.

I have been waiting about six month for this to come out and was not disappointed.

Bravo!

Wish the movie world had more of this. I know those stories are out there, but we get bombarded with reboots and comic adaptations with weak storylines and zero depth.

This film is understated, and revolves around the father and his basketball son, with the friction arising between a caring father wanting a better life for his son, while the son wants to follow a path which isn't necessarily of his father's choosing. Also a sub-plot of first love, and the conflict within his girlfriend that cares for the boy but doesn't want a serious relationship.

If you like Ray Romano, you'll adore the film. It's not really a comedy, but there are definitely funny parts to it, and his measured dry approach is delivered beautifully. Hats off to Sadie Stanley that plays the girlfriend - she did what was quite a complex role, fantastically. I'm a 52 year old guy and felt weepy at the end. It's a touching film, and maybe won't have the profile or impact of an epic film, but it's a really beautiful story of a sweet Italian-American family coping with some problems in their lives. It's the type of film you want to hug, and I'd watch 100 films done like this.

Who should watch it? Anyone that likes real life, touched with comedy, romance, and anyone that likes the Italian-American family vibe. Most adults with a heart will love this film. Of course, it's not a thriller, action film or all out comedy. It's touching (but not a soppy girly chick-flick). Writing and especially the dialogue, if fantastic.

When me wife and I read The Washington Post review we knew this was a movie to see. My wife was raised in Brooklyn by an Italian mother and I'm from the Mohawk Valley raised by an Italian stepfather. This movie touched on all American families complexities with a sensitive yet tough mother, an easygoing sweet father and a teenager who is difficult to read. Romano's writing and acting have always been terrific when telling sweet and humorous family tales. Every actor here is perfectly cast and the script is wonderful. You'll laugh, get teary eyed, and want the movie to never end. Oh, we had our wedding reception in an Italian hall like Romano's. It was great fun returning there for a visit today.

Can't believe we sat through this mediocre waste of time. Dull and boring.. Ho-hum all the way..this did not deliver anything... Ray Romano is better than this or so I thought. It's as if he were looking up into the sky thinking "what in the hell can I write about"? .. Boring dull storyline, characters, the whole thing..Sometimes it's better to do nothing than try to stay relevant with garbage like this. Stay on top and in people's memory with a little dignity for Gods sake. . Disappointed in this sham of a farce passed off as entertainment. Save your money and see anything else. Bland as old oatmeal....

IN A NUTSHELL: The story is about Leo and Angela Russo who live a simple life in Queens, New York, surrounded by their overbearing Italian-American family. When their son "Sticks" finds success on his high-school basketball team, Leo tears the family apart trying to make it happen.

Actor, comedian Ray Romano knocked it out of the park with this thoughtful family drama as the director and the co-writer. He also stars in it! Everyone DOES love Raymond! (Are you a fan of that popular TV show?) His writing partner was Mark Stegemann. Well done, boys.

THINGS I LIKED: The cast is superb and includes Academy Award & Emmy Award winner Ray Romano, Oscar-nominee Laurie Metcalf, comedian Sebastian Maniscalco, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Lo Bianco, Jacob Ward, Sadie Stanley, and more.

Ray Romano and Laurie Metcalf work so well together. They illustrate the perfect push and pull of a marriage that has gone through challenges in life, yet they're still together, trying to keep their vows and evolve through life.

Sebastian Maniscalco is such a natural, so I'm thrilled that his stand-up comedy is taking him to the Big Screen. In this film, he has a very small role, but if you're a fan of his like I am, check out his new movie called About My Father where he's the star.

With all of the high-tech, superhero movies with loud sounds and flashing lights, it's nice to watch a movie about real people just living life.

The dialogue is realistic.

The actors don't look like slick Hollywood celebrities, but instead, like real salt-of-the-earth people.

Wonderful soundtrack.

I love it when movies reference other movies. In this movie, Ray Romano's character quotes lines from the movie Rocky. The camera also quickly pans those famous steps that Rocky runs up and down in Philadelphia when certain characters visit the city.

I loved the poetry element of the story.

All of the characters are deliciously flawless. We get to see each of them learn and grow together. Beautiful.

I absolutely adore movies that have carefully presented seemingly insignificant lines or moments that turn out to be important in the end, wrapping them all up with a clever bow. This movie does just that.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: I don't enjoy the constant bickering and loud screaming, yet I also recognize that's the delightfully dynamics of many Italian families.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Profanity and F-bombs A lot of talk about intimate relations Talk of cancer.

!

I've never been a Ray Romano fan, nor like movies even remotely about sports. However, I do love Laurie Metcalfe, and as an Alabama kid semi-adopted by an Italian family in Queens this one hit home. I'm giving it a 7 only because it will be near impossible to top Moonstruck for NYC Italian families- but this was touching and funny. Most importantly, no Transformers or super heroes, just a realistic family plot. Kudos to all the actors, and Dani was a standout.

I've seen some comments regarding language and the family dynamics- truth be told, this is the reality of an extended NYC Italian family. Don't come expecting a tv sitcom.

I write this as a huge Ray Romano fan. The movie wasn't good at all. And the casting was weird. Incredibly boring. I doubt I'd ever watch it again. Very very disappointing and the story wasn't even good. 3/10 only because Ray is in it. Otherwise, it would be a 1/10. Acting was ok I guess. Boring movie, boring story, kid cast is weird looking. Metcalf doesn't belong here. Such a dry, boring movie that never drew me in or made me care at all.. The good reviews for this must be from people who love boring movies like Lincoln, which was terrible. What is wrong with people that this has positive reviews? I REALLY want my money back. I feel like a fool for buying this based on Ray Romano's history and positive reviews.

"Somewhere in Queens" is a heartwarming and humorous film that explores the dynamics of a close-knit Italian-American family living in Queens. Starring Ray Romano as Leo Russo and featuring an ensemble cast, the movie takes us on a journey of love, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams.

The story revolves around Leo and Angela Russo, a couple who lead a modest and content life in their tight-knit community. The film beautifully captures the essence of their daily routines and the strong bond they share with their larger-than-life family. The genuine chemistry between Romano and his co-star brings a sense of authenticity to their relationship, making it easy for the audience to empathize with their characters.

However, the plot takes an interesting turn when their son, 'Sticks,' finds success on his high-school basketball team. Leo's determination to see his son succeed becomes an obsession, leading him to make decisions that tear the family apart. This conflict adds depth to the story, as it explores the sacrifices parents are willing to make for their children's dreams, sometimes at the expense of their own happiness.

The film brilliantly portrays the dynamics of a close-knit family, showcasing both the love and the occasional overwhelm that comes with it. The overbearing nature of the Italian-American family is portrayed with humor, creating several laugh-out-loud moments throughout the film. The supporting cast does an excellent job in bringing their characters to life, adding layers of complexity and adding to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

One of the strengths of "Somewhere in Queens" lies in its ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments. It successfully navigates between light-hearted family interactions and more emotionally-charged scenes, creating a well-rounded viewing experience. The film also explores themes of identity and the importance of staying true to oneself, as Leo's pursuit of his son's success forces him to confront his own desires and aspirations.

While the film does a commendable job in exploring the complexities of family dynamics, there are moments where the pacing feels a bit uneven. Some scenes could have been trimmed to maintain a more consistent flow. Additionally, a few subplots could have been further developed to provide a more comprehensive understanding of certain characters and their motivations.

Overall, "Somewhere in Queens" is an enjoyable film that offers a heartfelt and humorous portrayal of family life. Ray Romano delivers a strong performance, showcasing his comedic talent while also bringing depth and vulnerability to his character. The film's exploration of family, sacrifice, and the pursuit of dreams will resonate with audiences, making it.