Southie (1998)

Director:

John Shea

Writers:

Jimmy Cummings (writer)
Dave McLaughlin (writer)

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The toughest thing about South Boston is coming back

Plot:

South Boston Irish bad boy Danny Quinn returns back home from New York and gets stuck between his pals...

Plot Keywords:

Gangster | Irish American | Boston Massachusetts | South Boston Massachusetts | Independent Film

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Donnie Wahlberg	...	Danny Quinn
Rose McGowan	...	Kathy Quinn
Jimmy Cummings	...	Joey Ward
Anne Meara	...	Mrs. Quinn
Lawrence Tierney	...	Colie Powers
John Shea	...	Peter Bardini
Will Arnett	...	Whitey
Amanda Peet	...	Marianne Silva
Jere Shea	...	Martin Powers
Josh Marchette	...	Will
Steven Kozlowski	...	Jimmy Quinn
Ericson Balcita	...	Marco
Jeffery Cook	...	Chuckie Boyle (as Jeff Cook)
Robert Wahlberg	...	Davey Quinn
David Fitzgerald	...	Butchie Ward

Also Known As:

Brass Ring (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and pervasive language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Germany:16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Prophecy Pictures Ltd.

Trivia:

Some members of the film crew were arrested for trespassing while filming the train sequence at the beginning of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) is leaving Southie towards the end, he boards a #7 bus at Broadway station, however seconds later, he's seen traveling in a #11 Bus

Quotes:

Kathy Quinn: I'm proud of you Danny, I really am. I am so proud of you, but I can't be you.

Movie Connections:

References Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)

Soundtrack:

Long Time a Comin'

Highly Recommended

After watching 'Southie' I was surprised at its low rating on the IMDb; and somewhat puzzled because almost everyone who took the time to post a comment found it an excellent film. Although in overall effect it is not on the level of 'Mean Streets', it a still a very solid production; on the level of "Monument Avenue" and "The Friends of Eddie Coyle". I suppose that a rather ordinary screenplay and a downbeat ending put some people off.

But this small film did a fine job of presenting a believable (if troubled) family, it utilized some interesting (out of favor) camera techniques to advance the storyline, and it showcased some excellent acting. It is refreshing to watch something without a hint of computer generated crap. If your production fundmentals are sound you don't need that kind of distraction.

There are two diametrically opposite scenes between Donnie Wahlberg and Rose McGowan that work so well that you wonder why they didn't alter the script to expand McGowan's part . One is in an Irish bar where Danny convinces his sister to enter an in-patient alcohol treatment program. The other is a few days later when he visits her in the middle of the program. The contrast between the intensity levels of these two scenes is amazing and McGowan pulls off the dramatic performance of her career. She is great at comedy but in these scenes she shows unexpected dramatic range. 'Southie' would be worth watching for just these two scenes but it is a solid effort from start to finish. Highly recommended.