Friends and Family (2001)

Director:

Kristen Coury

Writer:

Joseph Triebwasser (writer)

Release Date:

17 June 2004 (Israel)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Meet the real gay mafia!

Plot:

A gay couple are hit men for the mafia.

Plot Keywords:

Gay Couple | Gay | Mafia | Hired Killer | Mafia Boss

Cast

Greg Lauren	...	Stephen Torcelli
Christopher Gartin	...	Danny Russo
Rebecca Creskoff	...	Jenny Patrizzi
Edward Hibbert	...	Richard Grayson
Allison Mackie	...	Cheryl
Meshach Taylor	...	Bruno
Beth Fowler	...	Ada Torcelli
Frank Pellegrino	...	Mr. Torcelli
Johnny Russo	...	Max
Sam Coppola	...	Carlo Ricci
Mike Arotsky	...	Unruly Customer (as Mike Arotzky)
Michael Squicciarini	...	Ray (as Michael 'Scuch' Squiciarini)
Frank Minucci	...	Leo
Richard Petrocelli	...	Eddie
Elisa Heinsohn	...	Tanya / Singer at Banquet

Also Known As:

Friends & Family (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Norway:11 (TV rating)

Company:

Belladonna Productions

Quotes:

Mary: Mommy?
Sophie Patrizzi: Yes, sweetie?
Mary: How come Uncle Danny and Uncle Stephen live together?
Sophie Patrizzi: Well, because they love each other, like Mommy and Daddy love each other.
Mary: Which one's the mommy and which one's the daddy?
Sophie Patrizzi: I'll have to get back to you on that one, honey.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Sound of Music (1965)

Soundtrack:

You Can't Surprise Me

What Were They Thinking?

Although I liked the film's visual and musical style, and the production design was good, "Friends And Family" suffers from a terrible script and poor casting. The idea that two gay lovers would be part of a mafia ring is both silly and not credible. And the subplot of the paramilitary militia, as comedy, is stupid in the extreme. When you take these two plot contrivances out of the script, you don't have a story. I don't know what the screenwriter and the director were thinking; but this dreadful concept does not work.

The other big problem here is the casting. The two male lead actors (Greg Lauren and Christopher Gartin, both of whom are obviously straight) have zero chemistry as gay lovers. Did they have in their contracts some stipulation that they would play gay roles only if they didn't have to touch each other? That's the impression that their so-called "performances" convey. Whatever reason, their on-screen "relationship" is more like best buddies with girlfriends who never show up. Casting truly gay actors, no matter how little talent they had, would have been more convincing.

With the gay Richard character so flamboyant, and with all those drag queens, one wonders if the real intent of this film was actually to perpetuate gay stereotypes.

As such, this movie seems like some cheaply made cinematic throwback to an earlier era, say the early 1980s, closer in time to "The Godfather", and when "gay" TV sitcoms and movies like "Tootsie" existed for viewers to laugh at gay people. "Friends And Family" is strictly for the Disney crowd and retro viewers. It's comfy, palatable, shallow fluff lacking in both real-world credibility and thematic depth.