Southie (1998)

South Boston Irish bad boy Danny Quinn returns back home from New York and gets stuck between his pals, who are supported by one Irish mafia clan, and his family, which are members of ... See full summary »

Director:

John Shea

Writers:

James Michael Cummings (as Jimmy Cummings), Dave McLaughlin

Stars:

Donnie Wahlberg, Rose McGowan, Anne Meara

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donnie Wahlberg	...	Danny Quinn
Rose McGowan	...	Kathy Quinn
Anne Meara	...	Mrs. Quinn
Lawrence Tierney	...	Colie Powers
John Shea	...	Peter Binda
James Michael Cummings	...	Joey Ward (as James Cummings)
Will Arnett	...	Whitey
Amanda Peet	...	Marianne Silva
Jere Shea	...	Martin Powers
Josh Marchette	...	Will Casey
Steven Kozlowski	...	Jimmy Quinn (as Steve Kozlowski)
Jay Giannone	...	Teddy Mac
Robert Wahlberg	...	Davy Quinn
David Fitzgerald	...	Butchie Ward (as Dave Fitzgerald)
Steve Sweeney	...	Paul Finnerty

Storyline

South Boston Irish bad boy Danny Quinn returns back home from New York and gets stuck between his pals, who are supported by one Irish mafia clan, and his family, which are members of another.

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Plot Keywords:

casino | bar | smoking | hit and run | murder | 

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Taglines:

The Toughest Neighborhood In America

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and pervasive language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some members of the film crew were arrested for trespassing while filming the train sequence at the beginning of the film.

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Goofs

At the beginning when the family goes to get Cathy, as they are leaving, Cathy and her friend are seen running down the steps with the bowling shoes still on. Once they are outside, you can see they both have on tennis shoes.

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Quotes

Mrs. Quinn: You're a good boy, Danny.
Danny Quinn: But being a good boy's not enough, you know. It's not gonna pay the bills.
Mrs. Quinn: Sweetheart, you've done enough. Don't worry.

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Connections

References Jungle 2 Jungle (1997)

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Soundtracks

Long Time a Comin'
By Bap Kennedy
Courtesy of E-Squared Records, Inc.

User Reviews

Highly Recommended

After watching 'Southie' I was surprised at its low rating on the IMDb; and somewhat puzzled because almost everyone who took the time to post a comment found it an excellent film. Although in overall effect it is not on the level of 'Mean Streets', it a still a very solid production; on the level of "Monument Avenue" and "The Friends of Eddie Coyle". I suppose that a rather ordinary screenplay and a downbeat ending put some people off.

But this small film did a fine job of presenting a believable (if troubled) family, it utilized some interesting (out of favor) camera techniques to advance the storyline, and it showcased some excellent acting. It is refreshing to watch something without a hint of computer generated crap. If your production fundmentals are sound you don't need that kind of distraction.

There are two diametrically opposite scenes between Donnie Wahlberg and Rose McGowan that work so well that you wonder why they didn't alter the script to expand McGowan's part . One is in an Irish bar where Danny convinces his sister to enter an in-patient alcohol treatment program. The other is a few days later when he visits her in the middle of the program. The contrast between the intensity levels of these two scenes is amazing and McGowan pulls off the dramatic performance of her career. She is great at comedy but in these scenes she shows unexpected dramatic range. 'Southie' would be worth watching for just these two scenes but it is a solid effort from start to finish. Highly recommended.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 May 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brass Ring

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,860, 31 May 1999

Gross USA:

$52,819

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$52,819

Company Credits

Production Co:

Prophecy Pictures Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1