There is something about Sophia Loren that has always stood out even in the worst of films that she has done, of which there are many. In this very well done true to life TV movie, she plays the mother of a young man addicted to cocaine, going out of her way not only to save him from the drug itself but could bring down the drug cartel who has gotten her neighborhood involved with pushers and organized crime. She is one mother that you cannot mess with even though it seems at times as if her life is threatened. Thankfully she has a devoted (if worried) husband, beautifully played by Hector Elizondo, and her son, the handsome Michael Galardi, is obviously disgusted with himself for putting his mother at risk.
From the streets of New York to Miami, this amazing drama so the courage of one woman, proving that when a mother hen like Loren sees one of her chicks in danger, she will come pecking until she is the last one standing. While there are definite implausibilities in the general script, the film which is a bit over long does move at a rapid pace, and it takes you through the steps that she goes to infiltrate her way into the drug cartel and to the lengths to which she will go. The scene with Galardi bids goodbye to his parents is painful as you see his whole spirit breaking over the harm he has caused through something beyond his control.
A great supporting cast includes such familiar actors as Ron Rifkin, Mary McDonald and Dan Heydara, with McDonnell sporting a strong accent as a contact from Texas aiding an acquaintance of Loren's. You can't help but keep your eyes on Loren, so exquisitely beautiful 25 years after winning her Oscar. It's not just her looks. It is her whole demeanor that commands your attention. Her down to earth manner and direct way of speaking makes you feel like you know her, and if not, makes you want to know her. Hector Elizondo is one of the great character actors of the past 50 years, always so likeable and here the perfect partner to a woman he obviously knows to be amazing. This is a film that touches so many emotions on many different levels, and to see a seemingly simple woman on the surface bring down some powerful criminals is gripping and emotionally raw.
From the streets of New York to Miami, this amazing drama so the courage of one woman, proving that when a mother hen like Loren sees one of her chicks in danger, she will come pecking until she is the last one standing. While there are definite implausibilities in the general script, the film which is a bit over long does move at a rapid pace, and it takes you through the steps that she goes to infiltrate her way into the drug cartel and to the lengths to which she will go. The scene with Galardi bids goodbye to his parents is painful as you see his whole spirit breaking over the harm he has caused through something beyond his control.
A great supporting cast includes such familiar actors as Ron Rifkin, Mary McDonald and Dan Heydara, with McDonnell sporting a strong accent as a contact from Texas aiding an acquaintance of Loren's. You can't help but keep your eyes on Loren, so exquisitely beautiful 25 years after winning her Oscar. It's not just her looks. It is her whole demeanor that commands your attention. Her down to earth manner and direct way of speaking makes you feel like you know her, and if not, makes you want to know her. Hector Elizondo is one of the great character actors of the past 50 years, always so likeable and here the perfect partner to a woman he obviously knows to be amazing. This is a film that touches so many emotions on many different levels, and to see a seemingly simple woman on the surface bring down some powerful criminals is gripping and emotionally raw.