Brooklyn Rules (2007)

Director:

Michael Corrente

Writer (WGA):

Terence Winter (written by)

Release Date:

28 May 2009 (Israel)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Not made to be broken

Plot:

Brooklyn, 1985. With the mob world as a backdrop, three life-long friends struggle with questions of love, loss and loyalty.

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Friend | 1980s | Loyalty | New York

Cast

Paulo Araujo	...	Young Michael
Daniel Tay	...	Young Bobby
Ty Thomas Reed	...	Young Carmine (as Ty Reed)
Freddie Prinze Jr.	...	Michael Turner
Alec Baldwin	...	Caesar
Scott Caan	...	Carmine Mancuso
Jerry Ferrara	...	Bobby Canzoneri
Christian Maelen	...	Gino
Mena Suvari	...	Ellen
Chris Caldovino	...	Philly Cabrese
John Cenatiempo	...	Bouncer #1
Alexa Havins	...	Blonde
Staci Rudnitsky	...	Allison
Annie Golden	...	Dottie
Monica Keena	...	Amy
Tibor Feldman	...	Professor Foster
Dan McCabe	...	Eugene
P.J. Brown	...	Earl Webber
Marc Alan Austen	...	Rabbi
Rome Kanda	...	Dealer
Robert Turano	...	Mr. Canzoneri
Phyllis Kay	...	Mrs. Canzoneri
Lin Tucci	...	Aunt Louise
Kevin Thoms	...	Drunk Preppie (as Kevin Anderson)
James Thompson	...	Addiction Bouncer
Richard Perello	...	Bartender
Anthony Paolucci	...	Truck Driver
Ursula Abbott	...	Angela
Anthony Vincent	...	Thug #1
Frank Lapetina	...	Jimmy Bags
Bern Cohen	...	Jeweler #1
Ed Rubeo	...	Jeweler #2
Elyse Seiden	...	Woman in Crowd
Frank Ferrara	...	Shooter #1
Jeffrey M. Marchetti	...	Shooter #2
Larry Nuñez	...	Bus Boy (as Lawrence Nunez)
Brian O'Neill	...	Priest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jacqueline Lovell	...	80s Clubber (unconfirmed)
Benny Salerno	...	Doorman
Karla Cavalli	...	Flirty Girl (uncredited)
Anthony Ferriso	...	Altar Server (uncredited)
Anne Clare Gibbons-Brown	...	Catholic School Girl (uncredited)
John Heinlein	...	Construction Worker (uncredited)
Jessica Jennings	...	Student (uncredited)
Anna Kendrick	...	Club Girl (uncredited)
Stefanie Marco	...	Carmine's Bride (uncredited)
Lisa Maris	...	Gino's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Nicholas E. Pagani	...	Social Club Wise Guy (uncredited)
Kevin Paul	...	Bouncer (uncredited)
Alison Raimondi	...	Girl from Addiction (uncredited)
Vincent James Russo	...	Diner Customer (uncredited)
Keri Uribe	...	Rosie (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Corrente

Writing credits (WGA)
Terence Winter		(written by)

Produced by
Julie Bertrand	....	associate producer
Steven Bowman	....	executive producer
Bonnie Comley	....	executive producer
Michael Corrente	....	producer
Billy Heinzerling	....	executive producer
Caroline Jaczko	....	line producer
Stewart Lane	....	executive producer
Richard Barton Lewis	....	producer
Darren Manelski	....	executive producer
Chloe Kai O'Connor	....	associate producer
Richard Perello	....	co-producer
Mark Petruzzi	....	associate producer
Marisa Polvino	....	producer
Paul Sciala	....	executive producer
Peter Sciala	....	executive producer
Rachel Winter	....	executive producer (as Rachel Rothman)
Terence Winter	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Benny Rietveld

Cinematography by
Richard Crudo		(director of photography) (as Richard P. Crudo)

Film Editing by
Kate Sanford

Casting by
Sig De Miguel
Amanda Mackey Johnson		(as Amanda Mackey)
Cathy Sandrich		(as Cathy Sandrich-Gelfond)
Wendy Weidman

Production Design by
Bob Shaw

Art Direction by
Mario Ventenilla

Set Decoration by
Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo		(as Jackie Jacobson)

Costume Design by
Juliet Polcsa

Makeup Department
Caryn Brostoff	....	key makeup artist
Dionne Pitsikoulis	....	makeup artist
Amanda Ross	....	makeup artist
Mary Anne Spano	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Sean Garrett Fogel	....	unit production manager
Paul A. Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy Bird	....	first assistant director
Heather Grierson	....	second assistant director
Vanessa Hoffman	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Jill Alexander	....	property master
Ray Fisher	....	lead man: reshoots
Isaac Gabaeff	....	props
Emily Gaunt	....	charge scenic artist
Katie Kemsley	....	scenic artist
Jon Kim	....	props
Erik Knight	....	art department coordinator
Jennifer Massi	....	art department assistant
Julio Palma	....	set dresser
Joseph Proscia	....	leadman
Richard Tenewitz	....	construction coordinator
Holly Watson	....	graphic designer

Sound Department
Allan Byer	....	sound mixer
Vincent Camuto	....	boom operator
Ryan Collison	....	foley engineer
Dan Korintus	....	dialogue editor
Tony Martinez	....	supervising sound editor
Eric McAllister	....	supervising sound assistant
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Jacob Ribicoff	....	sound effects editor
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Eric Strausser	....	second assistant sound editor
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nick Taylor	....	adr artist
Noah Timan	....	sound mixer: additional photography
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Visual Effects by
Berj Bannayan	....	software engineer: SOHO VFX
Michael Kowalski	....	production supervisor: Soho VFX
Matthew Lynch	....	producer: Soho VFX
Allan Magled	....	visual effects supervisor: Soho VFX
Mike Mombourquette	....	digital compositor: SOHO VFX
Shervin Shoghian	....	digital compositor: SOHO VFX
Michael Todd Smith	....	systems administrator: Soho VFX
Michael Ventresco	....	title designer: Redscare Inc. (uncredited)

Stunts
Myra 'Dakota' Bown	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts
John Copeman	....	stunt double: Freddie Prinz, Jr.
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt performer
Larry Nuñez	....	stunt performer
Anthony Vincent	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Denise Bailie	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Denise Bailie	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Robert Barocci	....	camera operator
Michael Burke	....	gaffer
Tim Davies	....	best boy grip
Kris Enos	....	loader
Kris Enos	....	second assistant camera: b
Glenn Fishel	....	grip
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Douglas C. Hart	....	first assistant camera
Gary Jackiewicz	....	grip
Alec Jarnagin	....	Steadicam operator
Jendra Jarnagin	....	additional electrician
Jared Jordan	....	camera production assistant
Gary Martone	....	key grip
Jessica Miglio	....	additional still photographer
Anna Novick	....	grip
Justin Panzanaro	....	best boy rgging grip
Jon W. Rosenbloom	....	dolly grip
William Trautvetter	....	camera operator
Marilou Vetter	....	additional assistant camera
Robert Vuolo	....	electrician

Casting Department
Lori Eastside	....	extras casting
Samantha Finkler	....	casting associate
Bruce Winant	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elizabeth Feldbauer	....	wardrobe supervisor
Eileen Goh	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Ivan Chittick	....	post-production production assistant
Donald Freeman	....	final colorist
Agnes Grandits	....	first assistant editor (as Agnes Challe-Grandits)
Victoria Lang	....	post-production intern
James Nichols Jr.	....	assistant editor (as Eddie Nichols)
Josh Olive	....	colorist: dailies
Joe Violante	....	dailies advisor
Lee Wimer	....	color timer

Music Department
Peter Afterman	....	music supervisor
Clair Marlo	....	songs by
Brienne Rose	....	music coordinator
Sally Swisher	....	music editor
Benson Taylor	....	composer: additional music
Margaret Yen	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Beth Avery	....	location scout
Kathryn Blacker	....	set production assistant
Laurie Brandt	....	production executive (as Laurie Brandt)
Blake Davis	....	production assistant
Joe DeVito III	....	assistant to producers
Jesse Fox Chaney	....	production assistant (as Jesse Chaney)
Jeffery Gage	....	financial director
Christine Gee	....	script supervisor
Rhonda George	....	production coordinator
Rich Glassey	....	assistant: Michael Corrente
Niko Godfrey	....	production assistant
Tom Graziano	....	assistant: Richard Perello
Valerie Harrington	....	script supervisor
Steven Holtzman	....	key production assistant
John Kouromihelakis	....	set production assistant
Joseph Laureni	....	development executive
Sam Littenberg-Weisberg	....	production assistant
Annie Marter	....	assistant: Marisa Polvino
Jenny L. Mecum	....	product placement coordinator
Kristen Mink	....	assistant location manager
Kim Noble	....	assistant location manager
Larry Nuñez	....	location assistant
Matthew F. Preston	....	production assistant
Dorin Razam-Grunfeld	....	on-set production assistant
Sam Reich	....	stand-in: Mr. Caan (as Samuel Reich)
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote head technician
Michael Riolo	....	production assistant
Justin Ritson	....	key set production assistant
Joe Robinson	....	production assistant
Bill Rodriguez	....	intern set production assistant
Elizabeth Verghese	....	key production accountant
Tom Yeager	....	location manager
Jason Messeri	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Bill Bertrand	....	dedicatee: my friend
Nicholas Leiter Mele	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Cataland Films
• Eagle Beach Productions
• Hannover House
• Southpaw Entertainment (I)
• Straight Up Films

Distributors

• City Lights Pictures (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• HBO Hungary (2009) (Hungary) (TV)
• Icon Home Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• Imagem Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Laptv (2008) (Argentina) (TV)
• VVS Films (2007) (Canada) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Soho VFX

Other Companies

• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, pervasive language and some sexual content

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R | Singapore:M18 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Cataland Films

Trivia:

During production, the working title of the film was "Nailed Right In".

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Wheh Carmine is walking down the sidewalk to the store, a lady comes out of the front door. When Carmine starts to close the door you can see the cameraman's reflection off of the glass.

Movie Connections:

References Double Indemnity (1944)

Soundtrack:

Don't Go

OK but predictable gangster pic

This film was written by Terence Winter, one of the driving forces behind the Sopranos TV series and, given the reputation of that show (which I have to admit to never having seen), I was quite surprised by the routine nature of this film. Freddie Prinze Jr. finds himself out of his depth as Michael, a Brooklyn kid half-scamming his way through law school while trying to avoid becoming sucked into the mob life so adored by Carmine (Scott Caan), one of his closest friends.

Much of the problem lies with the fact that everything that happens here we have seen before in better, more original gangster flicks. The story is OK, but the script rarely rises above the pedestrian and, despite some rather clumsy attempts to insert a number of 80s pop culture references there is no real feeling for time or place. Alec Baldwin, who appears as the local mob ruler is by far the best thing about this film. In fact, Baldwin's pretty good in everything he does these days, having successfully negotiated the thorny transition from leading man to character actor without falling foul of the pitfalls encountered by some of his contemporaries. The best scenes in the film are the ones in which he appears and aren't just the most violent incidents. There is more insight into the workings of the mob in the scene in which Baldwin sits down with another gangster to iron out a few issues between Michael and the local mob psycho than there is in the beatings and shootings, etc.

Scott Caan is memorable, but it's difficult to be sure whether it is because he gives a good performance in his own right or because in a number of scenes he is so reminiscent of his father playing Sonny Corleone.

While there's nothing new here, the picture is entertaining enough and is a relatively painless experience.