State of Grace (1990)

A New York cop is recruited to return to his hometown and infiltrate the mob ran by his best friend's brother.

Directors:

Phil Joanou, Michael Lee Baron (co-director)

Writer:

Dennis McIntyre

Stars:

Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Penn	...	Terry Noonan
Ed Harris	...	Frankie Flannery
Gary Oldman	...	Jackie Flannery
Robin Wright	...	Kathleen Flannery
John Turturro	...	Nick
Burgess Meredith	...	Finn
R.D. Call	...	Pat Nicholson, Frankie's Lieutenant
Joe Viterelli	...	Borelli
John C. Reilly	...	Stevie McGuire
Deirdre O'Connell	...	Irene
Marco St. John	...	Jimmy Cavello
Thomas G. Waites	...	Frankie's Man
Michael Cambridge	...	Frankie's Man (as Brian Burke)
Michael Cumpsty	...	Frankie's Man
Mick Cunningham	...	Frankie's Man (as Michael Cunningham)

Storyline

Terry Noonan returns home to New York's Hells Kitchen after a ten year absence. He soon hooks up with childhood pal Jackie who is involved in the Irish mob run by his brother Frankie. Terry also rekindles an old flame with Jackie's sister Kathleen. Soon, however, Terry is torn between his loyalty to his friends and his loyalties to others.

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Plot Keywords:

bar | anger | betrayal | weeping | gang war | 

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Taglines:

The Irish Mob in New York.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 September 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Im Vorhof der Hölle

Filming Locations:

Little Italy, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$18,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$1,911,542

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cinehaus, Orion Pictures, The Rank Organisation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film debut of Joe Viterelli.

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Goofs

In the final shootout scene, the slide on Frankie's Beretta 92 locks back when he pulls the trigger on an empty chamber. It would take a live round going off in the gun to blow back and lock the slide.

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Quotes

Frankie: What did you find out, Pat?
Pat Nicholson, Frankie's Lieutenant: Nobody knows him. They must have brought him down from Boston. Brought him down from Boston to rat us out.
Frankie: It don't matter where the faggot cocksucker's from because he's dead. It's $15,000 the minute he takes his last breath. You bring me his motherfuckin' rat head it's $30,000.

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Connections

Referenced in En la cama (2005)

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Soundtracks

I Loved You Yesterday
Written and performed by Lyle Lovett
Published by Michael H. Goldsen, Inc. / Lyle Lovett (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Curb Records / MCA Records

User Reviews

The Westies.

State of Grace is directed by Phil Joanou and written by Dennis McIntyre. It stars Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, John Turturo and John C. Reilly. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth.

Terry Noonan (Penn) returns to Hells Kitchen after a number of years away and finds his best pal, Jackie Flannery (Oldman), is a major player in the Irish/American mob being run by his elder brother, Frankie Flannery (Harris). With a love interest rekindled and a secret he dare not reveal, Terry is soon caught in a maelstrom of danger and tested loyalties.

It got lost in the slipstream of Goodfellas, but although it's not in the same league as Scorsese's critical darling, State of Grace is a splendid slice of neo-noir gangsterism. The plot is made up of standard genre tropes, divided loyalties, betrayals, kinship, revenge, rivalries, territorial machismo and etc, all of which of course comes laced with spitfire dialogue and sparky violence.

The strengths come with the performances of the lead cast members, the visual flourishes via Cronenweth and Joanou and Morricone's classical score. Penn and Oldman are forces of nature, the former a ball of emotional turbulence, the latter a hopped up maniac with killer tendencies. Harris as the daddio main man is a moody and malevolent presence, as is Joe Viterelli as mafia boss man Borelli. Wright seems a little out of place in this material, Turturo isn't used nearly enough, but Reilly scores well with a limited role and Burgess Meredith pops in for a superb cameo.

It doesn't have originality on its side, but it's a mightily strong film regardless, with the human drama drawing one in as the tech skills impress across the board. 8/10