Family Business (1989)

An ex professor offers Adam $1,000,000 to "get" some plasma from a high tech company's lab. Adam asks his criminal grandpa for help. Can the 2 convince Adam's now honest dad to join?Let us see what happens.

Director:

Sidney Lumet

Writers:

Vincent Patrick (novel), Vincent Patrick (screenplay)

Stars:

Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Matthew Broderick

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Connery	...	Jessie
Dustin Hoffman	...	Vito
Matthew Broderick	...	Adam
Rosanna DeSoto	...	Elaine (as Rosana DeSoto)
Janet Carroll	...	Margie
Victoria Jackson	...	Christine
Bill McCutcheon	...	Doheny
Deborah Rush	...	Michele Dempsey
Marilyn Cooper	...	Rose
Salem Ludwig	...	Nat
Rex Everhart	...	Ray Garvey
James Tolkan	...	Judge (as James S. Tolkan)
Marilyn Sokol	...	Marie
Thomas A. Carlin	...	Neary
Tony DiBenedetto	...	Phil

Storyline

Jessie is an aging career criminal who has been in more jails, fights, schemes, and line-ups than just about anyone else. His son Vito, while currently on the straight and narrow, has had a fairly shady past, and is indeed no stranger to illegal activity. They both have great hope for Adam, Vito's son and Jessie's grandson, who is bright, good-looking, and without a criminal past. So when Adam approaches Jessie with a scheme for a burglary he's shocked, but not necessarily uninterested.

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Plot Keywords:

generation gap | career criminal | scottish american | caper comedy | caper | 

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Taglines:

There's nothing like a good robbery... to bring a family together.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Movie Channel [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 December 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Family Business

Filming Locations:

753 9th Avenue, Mabhattan, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,130,024, 17 December 1989

Gross USA:

$12,195,695

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,195,695

Company Credits

Production Co:

TriStar Pictures, Gordon Company, Regency International Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sir Sean Connery had won one Academy Award, and Dustin Hoffman had won two Academy Awards, but despite this, and the latter having being nominated more times as well, six times compared to once at the time of this movie's release, Connery was top (first) billed and Hoffman received second billing. The order of billing was likely based on seniority of experience, and in descending age order of the three generations of the patriarchy, as Matthew Broderick was third billed.

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Goofs

When Jessie McMullen confronts Jimmy Chiu in his car, he calls him by his real name (Wong).

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Quotes

Jessie: That's the whole show?
Adam: Yes, unless you want to tell the Pee Wee Grogan story again.

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Connections

Referenced in By Sidney Lumet (2015)

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Soundtracks

Almost Like Being in Love
Written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe

User Reviews

What's the problem?

I can't believe the reviews for this!

If anything is open for critcism here, its the casting of Connery, Hoffman and Broderick as grandfather, father and son, but no one seems to mind that. Hoffman's wife is a Jewish woman, played by Rosana DeSoto, who was Richie Valen's mom in "La Bamba" and Edward James Olmos' wife in "Stand And Deliver". All the casting choices are questionable but I think someone along the way decided to be sarcastic about it, which of course makes the movie that much better.

Broderick is not a criminal but his elders are (or were) and he brings them all together to do a robbery. It makes perfect sense, since he's in that family and has their blood. Without even trying hard, he's a product of his environ, just like we all are. Matthew was a whiz-kid who got bored with that and doesn't seem to have any guilt about this caper. His girlfriend (Victoria Jackson) has extremely questionable morals and practically brags about that fact at dinner one afternoon. But is also in keeping with Broderick's character. He's like a wanna-be lowlife.

Hoffman is working in the meat-packing district in the West Village of Manhattan and is trying very hard to do the right thing after having served time and having had an on-again, off-again relationship with both his father and son. He demands honesty and even fires a guy (Luiz Guzman) who is caught stealing from him. The movie is also very realistic from his point-of-view since he gets involved mostly to keep an eye on the other two. Father and son do not get along and always seem to be arguing about one thing or another.

Connery is a life-long trouble maker who was never much of a father but loves his grandson very much and has some pride about their all working together. He argues with his son..father and son do not get along, again.

Some of the dialogue is very funny and there are always great character actors in Sidney Lumet's movies; this one is no exception. In very small parts are Marilyn Cooper, Deborah Rush and Marilyn Sokol. This is in addition to a great trio in the leads, all of whom register great work in this little-seen flick.

Movie has a real NYC feel to it. I'd recommend it to anyone.