Ash Wednesday (2002)

Ash Wednesday is set in the Manhattan of the early 1980's and is about a pair of Irish-American brothers (Burns and Wood) who become embroiled in a conflict with the Irish Mob.

Director:

Edward Burns

Writer:

Edward Burns

Stars:

Brian Burns, Vincent Rubino, Jimmy Cummings

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Brian Burns	...	Cousin Mike Moran
Vincent Rubino	...	Vinny Boombata
Jimmy Cummings	...	J.C. (as James Cummings)
Elijah Wood	...	Sean Sullivan
Pat McNamara	...	Murph
John DiResta	...	Pete at the Bar
Edward Burns	...	Francis Sullivan
Malachy McCourt	...	Whitey
Chris McGovern	...	Whitey's Driver (as Christopher McGovern)
Peter Gerety	...	Uncle Handy
Jimmy Burke	...	Red Kelly (as James Burke)
Stephen Murphy	...	Whitey's Man
Brian Delate	...	Crazy George Cullen
Teresa Yenque	...	Mrs. Diaz
Julie Hale	...	Maggie Shea

Storyline

Hell's Kitchen on Ash Wednesday, 1983. Rumors are flying that Francis Sullivan's younger brother Sean, dead for three years, has reappeared. If he wasn't killed by rivals, then old scores still need settling, putting Fran and Sean in danger. An upstart is pressuring the local mob boss, who's Fran's protector; Sean's wife, who thinks she's a widow, has gotten on with her life, but Sean has come back for her. The parish priest, part of the initial deception, is frightened. Bad guys with guns are closing in. Can Fran get Sean and his wife out of the city, avoid a war between rival factions, and hold onto new-found morality? Will the cross of ashes on his forehead protect him?

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Plot Keywords:

ash wednesday | priest | 1980s | irish mob | irish american | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for pervasive language and some violence

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

19 March 2004 (UK)

Also Known As:

Ash Wednesday, le mercredi des cendres

Filming Locations:

Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$2,942 (USA) (11 October 2002)

Gross:

$2,942 (USA) (11 October 2002)

Company Credits

Production Co:

IFC Productions, Marlboro Road Gang Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the beginning, three years after the opening shooting, when a group of guys are at the bar, one comments on how Dolly Parton was on Johnny Carson last night. Dolly Parton didn't appear on the Tonight Show in the 1980s until 1986.

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Quotes

Francis: They thought you were the smart one? I must've looked like a friggin' retard!

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Connections

References Black and White (1999)

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Soundtracks

"Fight the Good Fight"
Written by Rik Emmett, Mike Levine, Gil Moore
Performed by Triumph
Courtesy of Triumph

User Reviews

Will you shut the f*ck up with the farming!

It's Ash Wednesday. You know that because everyone is running around with an ash cross on their foreheads.

The movie takes place on that single day in hell's Kitchen. Writer, actor, and director Edward Burns plays Francis, a reformed gangster, who spends most of the first part of the movie chasing down a rumor that his brother Sean (Elijah Wood) is still alive.

I thought I was watching Scarface. The language was just as bad. It was hard to find any line that could be repeated.

Fairly good story with great performances including the above and Rosario Dawson, as well as Oliver Platt.