- Film Review
- Reviewed By Adrian Turner
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3 out of 5
With its powerhouse cast and A-list director (Barry Levinson), this drama is long and exudes importance and integrity. So why does it come across as bogus and too hot under the dog collar? Though based on an admittedly controversial autobiography, the plot mechanism and its moral stance - that violent revenge is fully justified - is not totally believable. The story concerns four teenagers who are brought up by a priest. When a foolish prank causes a near-fatal accident, the youths are sent to jail where they are repeatedly abused by the guards. Years later, they plot revenge. The big themes pile up, but Levinson keeps the story rolling and vividly evokes the hothouse atmosphere of New York's Hell's Kitchen. And the cast is truly impressive: Robert De Niro as a priest, Dustin Hoffman as a lawyer, Kevin Bacon as a prison guard, and Brad Pitt and Jason Patric as two of the now grown-up abused children. It's often absorbing, but always a bit suspect.
Plot Summary
Drama starring Kevin Bacon, Robert De Niro, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Patric and Brad Pitt. Four mischievous friends growing up in New York's Hell's Kitchen are sent to a sadistic reform school after a foolish prank goes wrong.
Cast and crew
Cast
- Sean Nokes
- Kevin Bacon
- Father Bobby
- Robert De Niro
- Danny Snyder
- Dustin Hoffman
- Lorenzo "Shakes" Carcarterra
- Jason Patric
- Michael
- Brad Pitt
- Tommy
- Billy Crudup
- John
- Ron Eldard
- King Benny
- Vittorio Gassman
- Carol Martinez
- Minnie Driver
- Ralph Ferguson
- Terry Kinney
- Shakes's father
- Bruno Kirby
- Young Michael Sullivan
- Brad Renfro
- Henry Addison
- Jeffrey Donovan
- Fred Carlson
- John Slattery
Crew
- Director
- Barry Levinson
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