Tag: New Jersey

THE HOUSEMAID (2025) – Review

Sydney Sweeney as Millie and Amanda Seyfried as Nina in The Housemaid. Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden/Lionsgate

Ho, ho, ho, Hollywood is coming home for the holidays. Oh, but what a home. The domicile featured in this new movie is exquisite, lush, the stuff of “house and garden” fever dreams. But the looks are indeed deceiving. That’s because some deadly, dark secrets are tucked behind those pricey but tasteful furnishings. No doubt countless weekly book clubs explored this when the literary inspiration for this new release came out just a little over three years ago. Now, it’s getting the full “studio movie” adaptation, with a screen vet and a sizzling “hot” rising star cast in the title role of THE HOUSEMAID.


That title refers to a young woman in her early twenties named Millie (Sydney Sweeney). She’s certainly at a crossroads in her life as she tries to find work, Any work, Why the rejections? We learn that she’s got a lot of “baggage”, namely a criminal record requiring her to check in with a parole officer who insists that she be employed. As the story begins, Millie is interviewing for the position of “general housekeeper (or that earlier title)” at a ritzy, right from the pages of “Architectural Digest” New Jersey estate. Quizzing her is the “lady of the house”, the gorgeous, blonde, refined Nina (Amanda Seyfried). After being told that the gig would involve cleaning, light cooking, helping with her ten-year-old daughter Cecilia (Indiana Elle), Nina bids Millie adieu, insisting that she’ll “be in touch”. Thinking that this was the “brush off” Millie hunkers down in her “beater” of a “home on wheels” for another long, cold night parked in an empty lot. Just as the cops tap on the car door, she gets a call from Nina offering the position. Millie zips over where Nina gives her the tour, taking her to the top floor location of Millie’s attic bedroom. Is this perfect, or what? Well, Millie meets the “master of the house”, Nina’s hunky hubby Andrew (Brandon Sklenar). No, no,no, she’s determined to keep things “professional”. But after the first night there, she gets a “front row seat” to a Nina “freak out”. This is the first of many scenes of erratic behavior from her, leading to threats of dismissal. Millie endures, needing to work, or it’s back to jail. But can she take the bizarre behavior and the unpredictable mania of Nina? And what’s up with the dark, brooding groundskeeper, the stoic Enzo (Michele Morone)? Could this dream home be the epicenter of a “nightmare manor” for Millie? And just what was her crime?

That “hot” darling of current pop culture is that “super-nova” Ms. Sweeney, who is given a chance to carry the dramatic weight of this tale. Though she burst out (I’ll not make a wardrobe comment), a couple of years ago, she’s bounced (watch it) from forgettable rom-coms to generic thrillers (though she did very well with a supporting role in ECHO VALLEY), she’s not gotten a real chance to test her star-power until this. Yes, Millie is often the victim that the audience frets over, but we also see her taking charge to find the truth. And she also embarks on a swoony forbidden romance, until Sweeney becomes a full action heroine. For much of the film she must hold the screen with the equally compelling charisma of Seyfried, whose Nina may be the “showier” role as she careens from sweet to unhinged with little warning, like a human pinball ricocheting off the tasteful-texured walls. With her wide expressive eyes, she draws us into the world of this pampered domestic diva, prepping us for another abrupt switch as we’re plunged into her own past. Sklenar is a slick, smooth charmer whose sympathy often feels too good to be true as he becomes Millie’s secret ally during Nina’s explosive displays. Morone emits a suave, sinister vibe as the terse gardener who seems to magically appear in Millie’s eyeline (yes, “jump-scares” a’plenty). Elle is also strong as the pouty, snooty rich kid who will not warm up to Millie, despite her efforts. Also of note is Alexandra Seal as Officer Conners,, a local cop who might just have a connection to the mysteries of the mansion.

Orchestrating all the over-the-top mayhem and machinations is acclaimed comedy director (the guru of that TV gem, “Freaks and Geeks”), Paul Feig. But he’s in a different “mode” here from the inspired hilarity of BRIDESMAIDS and THE HEAT. Instead, he’s diving into the sparkly “high class” camp of his thriller parody A SIMPLE FAVOR (and let’s erase that lackluster sequel from our memory, shall we) to create another homage to the classic “women’s pictures” of Hollywood’s “golden age”. Think back to that classic first film of THE WOMEN, where screen sirens “faced off” to fight for their desires (I guess there’s also a pinch of the Davis/Crawford dynamic from WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE). Here two extremely photogenic blondes battle for “the whole enchilada”, going just short of hair-pulling and punching (there’s some physical stuff in the finale). Plus, there’s even a take on the whole “rescued princess” fantasy that Feig expertly trashes. Speaking of, yes this is really good “high gloss” trash, a super-sized, souped up version of all the over-heated, soapy, sudsy, made for basic-cable TV thrillers, given a studio sheen. This superior silliness is lifted by Rebecca Sonnenshines’ juicy screenplay adaptation of the bestseller from Freida McFadden (guessing it was seen at last of beach pools over the last couple of summers). And with all the high fashion and furnishing, we still get a solid tale of strong ladies “gettin’ it done”. Speaking of, here’s hoping that these two are teamed once more (Seyfried and Sweeney certainly hammered that home in their press tour). During the cold Winter of somber Oscar hopefuls, take a fluffy, popcorn break with THE HOUSEMAID.

3 Out of 4

THE HOUSEMAID opens in theaters everywhere on Friday, December 19, 2025

SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE – Review

We must be “all in” for the end-of-the-year awards season as we’ve got a new big biographical film of a music superstar from an acclaimed director. Last year, Christmas Day to be exact, filmgoers got to do a deep dive into the 60s musical odyssey of Bob Dylan with James Mangold’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN. Though it didn’t garner as many awards (and box office) as BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY in 2018, it still racked up lots of critical raves (and even a Sag Best Actor for its star Timothee Chalomet). Now, like that earlier biopic, this one showcases another rising young star who is best known for an acclaimed TV show. Oh, but the big difference is that this is set a couple of decades later, at the start of the 1980s. Still, there’s a lot of musical “common ground between “Mr. Zimmerman” and SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE. As “the Boss” might say, “One, two…”.

After a brief black and white prologue with our young hero riding his bike through the means streets of Long Branch, New Jersey, the story jumps ahead to the splashy color of 1981 as fans are left breathless after the final concert number from Bruce Springsteen (Jeremy Allen White) at a packed arena. As he winds down backstage, his trusted manager Jon Landau (Jeremy Strong) tells him that after a few post-concert dealings (including an interview with “Creem” magazine, remember it), his rental home on a lake in Colts Neck, New Jersey is ready. After he settles in there, the Boss contemplates his next album while recalling his turbulent early life with dutiful mother Adele (Gaby Huffman) and his boozing, abusive father Douglas (Stephan Graham). Later, in an effort to “blow off some steam” he joins the local rockers at The Stone Pony bar/music venue in Asbury Park. As he leaves, Bruce runs into an old high school buddy, who introduces him to his sister Faye (Odessa Young), a single mother working at a nearby diner. She gives him her number, in case he wants to “hang” sometime. Chilling back at his lake house, he does a bit of channel “surfing” and stumbles upon the 1973 Terrence Malick classic BADLANDS. Bruce is riveted, heading to the library to gather more info on the film’s inspiration, killer Charles Starkweather, then returning home to jot down lyrics and strum on his guitar. He has an epiphany: the new song collection “Nebraska” will have no polished studio sound. He brings in his audio-tech Mike Batlan (Paul Walter Hauser) to record a demo tape using very low tech (cassettes). When Landau meets Columbia Records’ Al Teller (David Krumholtz), the exec is stunned by Bruce’s subject matter and his rules. There will be no singles, right after Bruce landed a single on the Billboard top ten. But Jon and Bruce persist. Meanwhile, the Boss struggles to get “the sound” just right while the process dredges up brutal memories from childhood. Can a burgeoning romance with the “hometown gal” vanquish the inner demons inside the rising rock and roll superstar?

Wow, in this film you get two (yes two) great Jeremys heading the ensemble. First, of course, is White, who we’ve not seen on the big screen since 2023’s THE IRON CLAW (though he continues to cook up a storm on TV’s “The Bear”). Without the use of prosthetic makeup, but with a little color “tweaking” in his curly mane, he makes us believe that he’s the “Boss”. He’s got that confident strut as he wields that guitar like a gladiator’s broadsword before the adoring throngs. But he’s more Clark Kent as leaves the backstage door, trying to blend in with the “average Joes”. However, White shows us his simmering intensity, whether achieving his artistic goals, struggling to put the right words in his battered notebook, or clamping down on his childhood monsters. Plus, he projects an almost boyish charm during his “downtime” with Faye. The other J is the superb Mr. Strong (so wonderful in last year’s THE APPRENTICE) as the laser-focused Landau. He’s Bruce’s strong right hand, whether he’s dealing with the press or anxious record execs demanding more “hits”. Strong’s stare seems to burrow into White’s brain, forming a connecting line of creative thought. The two actors’ performance anchor the tale. But then they have a great supporting cast. Young exudes a sexy “tough gal” persona as the smitten, but steadfast (not putting up with any “Boss BS”) as Faye. Hauser provides a few needed laughs as the perplexed but hard-working audio geek, Mike (he questions, but never refuses Bruce’s needs). The other big emotional role may be Graham as the stoic papa Stephan who lashes out in order to “toughen up” his boy, while casting a dark shadow that looms over the crumbling house, leaving Hoffman as mama Adele as the sole bright light in the lad’s life. Krumholtz is also funny as recording bigwig Teller, while the great Marc Maron shines with just a few lines as audio mixer Chuck Plotkin.


The acclaimed filmmaker is director/screenwriter (adapting the book “Deliver Me from Nowhere” by Warren Zanes) is Scott Cooper (CRAZY HEART), Wisely, he decided to focus in on an important year or two in Bruce’s life, rather than giving a full “life story” (though we do have those 1957 snippet flashbacks), to not get into the cliché biopic “checklist” (then he did this, then that, then…) which gives the personal drama more room to “breathe”. Also, it allows Cooper to really explore the creative process of an artist, which is usually a “stumbling block” (always a problem with stories about writers). At times, Bruce seems rigid and too unwavering, but Cooper shows us that it’s a quest for purity in the music’s intent. The era of the early 80s is painstakingly recreated with nods to pop culture and a big ode to the power of cinema, not only BADLANDS (young Bruce watches a 1950s cult classic with his pop). The pace is rather languid, with bursts of the remarkable rock and folk anthems. At times that measured pace is sidetracked by the romantic subplot, (it somewhat evaporates by the final act) which doesn’t add much to the story of the creation of an album. And a few fans may wish there were more recreations of the marathon concerts, but Cooper gives us enough of a taste to convey the power of Mr. S. But in those final moments, Cooper provides a positive message about seeking help from mental health professionals (might nudge those struggling to see a “rock god” getting back on track) It’s not a bombastic tune-filled spectacle, but rather a powerful, intimate portrait of a man exploring new artistic territory while exploring his own past. That power of creation fuels SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE.

3.5 Out of 4


SPRINGSTEEN: DELIVER ME FROM NOWHERE is now playing in theaters everywhere

A GOOD PERSON – Review

Florence Pugh (left) as Allison and Morgan Freeman (right) as Daniel in A GOOD PERSON, directed by Zach Braff, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Jeong Park / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures © 2023 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Now that we’re a few days into Spring and the temps are rising and the sun’s breaking through, it’s easy to forget that for many it’s always dark, cold, and gloomy no matter what’s displayed on the calendar. Just as the movie theatres are slipping into escapist blockbusters a new drama isn’t waiting for the somber. late in the year, “award time”. It is worth seeking out as it’s a showcase for two acclaimed actors. One is a “star on the rise”, gaining a reputation for compelling work over several genres. The other is a screen veteran, an Oscar winner who has achieved iconic status over the last five decades. The story that brings them together poses an interesting and very complex question: can someone whose act of carelessness resulted in a fatality, ever possibly be thought of as A GOOD PERSON?

When we meet Allison (Florence Pugh). her future looks bright and shiny. The twenty-something is a pharmaceutical rep and a pianist/lounge singer (a “side hustle”). But she’s most excited about her upcoming nuptials to the adoring Nathan (Chinaza Uche). Soon after their engagement party, she’s driving Nathan’s sister Molly and her hubby Jesse to her wedding gown fitting. While maneuvering through construction zones on the busy highway Ally glances down at her phone, when a backhoe lurches into her lane leading to tragedy. When she awakes, Ally’s in a hospital bed with her single mom Diane (Molly Shannon) hovering over her. Before she can stop him, an over-eager state trooper bursts into the room and drops a bombshell on Ally: she’s the only survivor of the accident. Across town, Nathan and Molly’s retired policeman widowed papa Daniel (Morgan Freeman) gets the same news as he’s dropping his granddaughter Ryan (Celeste O’Connor) off at her high school. Cut to several months later as Ally now lives with her mom (the engagement crumbled) who implores her to get off the couch and get a job as they battle over Ally’s increasing reliance on prescription painkillers. When her docs “cut her off”, Ally becomes desperate to “score”. Meanwhile, Daniel is so frustrated as the caregiver to the angry rebellious Ryan that he’s about to “fall off the wagon”. When Ally finally hits “rock bottom”, she asks Diane to contact her dad about paying for a rehab facility. As he’s completely MIA, Ally bicycles to a local church to attend an addiction support meeting. Inside she’s stunned to see….Daniel, who begs her to stay. Could this chance reunion lead to defeating their inner demons and be part of the healing process, or perhaps a friendship?

After being universally praised in last year’s flawed fantasy flick DON’T WORRY DARLING, Ms. Pugh (I’m not calling her Miss Flo, as a leaked phone video call revealed during that PR mess). proves how her considerable talents can take flight with much better material. Ally is a complex, troubled figure but never a victim, as Pugh shows how her physical and emotional scars are slow to heal. We see her in the depths whether literally wrestling with her Mom over “Oxy” or degrading herself at a neighborhood pub with a cruel former classmate (a very good Alex Wolff), but Pugh conveys this as her much-needed “wake-up” call, though her heavy-lidded eyes show us that she’s not out of the fog quite yet. With her new support team, Ally goes past the “survivor” role to real maturity and self-reliance. A big part of that is her initially hesitant relationship with Daniel, and could Pugh ask for a more compelling scene partner than the forever fantastic Freeman? After dropping in for cameos in too many forgettable action flicks, it’s great to see him sink his teeth into this “meaty meal” of a man, reminding us of his deserved regard amongst his acting peers. Freeman does bring some humor to the grizzled ex-cop, especially in dealing with a modern team (loved his “crate” gag), but Daniel has his own challenges as he tries to push through the ever-closing walls of regret and remorse. Like Ally, he must contend with the damage he’s inflicted on others, particularly his son Nathan. Uche is superb as the young man whose grief over the loss of his sister is acerbated by the horrors of his past, still bearing the never-healed cruelty of his father. But he shows how his healing may start with the ending or at least ease the rift. Speaking of parent/sibling squabbles, how great is it to see the comedy powerhouse Shannon flexing her dramatic muscles as Ally’s often flighty (Her “Etsy” plan is hilarious), but steely strong mother Diane? Often wearing her “work duds” (company logo shirt and khakis), she goes from “walking on eggshells” to firmly giving her kin a “kick in the keister”. Kudos also to O’Connor as the often exasperating furious Ryan and Zoe Lister-Jones as the support group’s compassionate but tough (she has a keen BS radar) Simona AKA “Mama”.

It seems logical that this impressive stellar cast would be brought together by another actor, as Zach Braff steps behind the camera to guide them through his screenplay. Making expert use of the New Jersey locations, Braff captures the gritty working-class spirit of the area’s neighborhoods. Though a brutal accident puts the story in motion, he prefers to treat it as bursts or snippets of a waking nightmare for Ally, effectively illustrating how the brain reacts to such intense trauma. Plus he allows the characters to frustrate us, to let their interactions get ugly and often “messy”, as they sometimes fall into old destructive patterns. Save for a convoluted near-catastrophe in the city which brings most of the characters careening together (and violence threatens), Braff avoids the melodrama, opting to show how time can really heal (perhaps the third act is too reliant on montages). He’s made a solid foundation, but it’s the ensemble led by the inspired pairing of Pugh and Freeman that is the real strength of A GOOD PERSON.

3.5 Out of 4

A GOOD PERSON is now playing in select theatres.

CLERKS III – Review

Brian OÕHalloran as Dante and Jeff Anderson as Randal in Clerks III. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate

Alright you slackers, Labor Day’s in the rearview mirror. Time to “hit the bricks” and get back to work. If your first thought is “Aw, no”, “Ugh!”, or…something we can’t repeat here, then this film might resonate with you. At least that’s what a New Jersey-born filmmaker hopes, since that notion “put him on the map” nearly thirty years ago. And if your earlier response included the “salty talk”, then all the better. Hard to imagine that in 1994 Kevin Smith fashioned a script of his retail drudgery and unleashed CLERKS on the world. Soon he was the darling of TV talk shows, getting offers from the major studios, and even flexed his “acting chops” (plus the grungy lil’ black and white was another jewel in the “indie cred crown” of Miramax Studios…whatever happened with them). Ah, but Kev wasn’t done with those “wage-slave” misfits. He let us check in with them again in 2006, And now, as with many action franchise flicks, it’s time to complete the “trilogy”. So, does the “sheet-signage” on the storefront proclaim “I assure you…we’ve got closure!” in the all-new (and all “blue”) CLERKS III?


Much like that initial entry, it all begins at the start of another long day at the tiny (just two shops) strip mall in Red Bank, NJ. Dante (Brian O’Halloran) unlocks the padlock to the Quick Stop Grocery store. He’s soon joined by old pal Randal (Jeff Anderson) who now owns the place next door. It’s not a video rental spot (though he’s got some “distressed” VHS tapes on the shelves). His old “crib” is a cannabis dispensary… managed by Jay (Jason Mewes) and “Silent” Bob (Smith). Naturally, they still do their “dealings” as though pot was illegal (old habits, y’know). Adding to the daily aggravation is the QSG staff, Elias (Trevor Fehrman), and his mute “toadie” Blockchain (Austin Zajur). As Elias touts his Christian Cryptocurrency Club, the usually mellow Randal becomes agitated and sweaty while wincing in pain. Then he drops. Dante calls an ambulance. The Hospital surgeon reveals that it is indeed a heart attack. As Randall recovers, Dante reflects on his past, including his romance with Becky (Rosario Dawson), from several years ago. after being discharged, Randal has a revelation, a new purpose. He will become a filmmaker. How hard can it be, after all, he watched countless flicks when he was stuck in the video store. And the script will be about his life along with Dante, who is enlisted as the project’s producer. But where will he find the cash? If that’s not enough on “his plate”, Randal, after a disastrous audition day, decides that everyone will play themselves, with Silent Bob doing the photography. Will things go smoothly or will this “future cinematic masterpiece” become the final “straw” that breaks the bond between the two BFFs?


The returning cast members competently slip back into their old characters as though those sixteen, well collectively, twenty-eight years, haven’t been more than a few weeks. O’Halloran is still the cranky, ill-tempered “straight man”, who now confronts his recent loss which is triggered by his best bud’s mortality. This new event hasn’t tempered much of his “slacker snark, although Anderson as Randal has a clearer focus on he finally acquires a “goal”, Plus his anatomical “panic” at the hospital amplifies the “gallows humor”. Mewes is still the coarse motor-mouth as Jay, not accepting the new legality of his “passion”, while giving us a peak at his “performance anxiety”. Smith confirms his physical acting skills as the mute sidekick, though when the “dams bursts” it’s more of the Smith seen in multiple media outlets. Fehrman puts forth a lot of energy as the often irritating Elias, but it’s misspent on a role made to be taken as a target for insults (mostly from Randal). Zajur, as his “SB”, is another talented pantomimist who’s closer to the silent clowns of a century ago. None of these actors can come close to the skills of the gifted Dawson, who breezes in to remind us of “how the pros do it” in a couple of too-brief sequences. There’s a nice reunion with an actress from the original, and two of the hospital staffers are played by a pair of comic actors who deftly “steal the scenes” right away from the principal players. Oh, fans of Smith’s other works in film and TV should enjoy some quick cameos during the film addition montage (hey, there’s an Oscar winner).


In returning to his roots, Smith may be achieving some “closure” to his Jersey-based efforts, but it feels like a major step (s) back for his filmmaking overview. What may have been intended as a “thank-you wink” to his fanbase, instead feels like smug “navel-gazing”. The cascade of media references in his screenplay land with an indulgent “thud”. That’s much like the “audition” that halts the story flow so that the creator can impress us with his array of the “cool kids” that popped in for a few week one-liners (some maybe ad-libbed, others from better films). The “let’s shoot a flick after hours” vibe from the mid-90s, has a “spinning its wheels” air in the new century. And the untrained performances from the “day” don’t have the same clueless charm. After his own “medical episode”, Smith felt he had things to address, but a return to retail doesn’t gel with issues of mortality and legacy. And as a filmmaker, he lingers too long on bits of verbal business, with the “sex talk” more adolescent than ever, and allowing his cast to grimace and mug, as though they were extras in a “two-reeler”. And to echo his cinema “alter ego”, the Quick Stop looks too tidy in color, losing its grimy florescent -lit Hell feel of the first flick. The hard-core “Kev-heads” will relish the return, but casual viewers will feel that a trio may not be “the magic number” for the middle-aged hourly register-button-pushers of CLERKS III.


1.5 Out of 4


CLERKS III will be playing in select theatres for a limited engagement from Tuesday, September 13 through Sunday, September 18, 2022

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK – Review

(L-r) BILLY MAGNUSSEN as Paulie Walnuts, JON BERNTHAL as Johnny Soprano, COREY STOLL as Junior Soprano (in back), JOHN MAGARO as Silvio Dante, RAY LIOTTA as “Hollywood Dick” Moltisanti and ALESSANDRO NIVOLA as Dickie Moltisanti in New Line Cinema and Home Box Office’s “THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo credit: Barry Wetcher / Warner Bros. Courtesy of Warner Brothers Studios

The highly-anticipated “Sopranos” prequel THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK finally arrives in theaters and proves that it was worth the long wait. “The Sopranos” was the influential, award-winning television series that likely started the binge-watching phenomenon, but one of the nice things about this mobster drama is that there is no need to be a fan of the long-running series, or even to have seen a single episode, to fully enjoy this film and be drawn into its well-rounded world and thrilled by its surprise-around-every corner plot. There is plenty here for any fan of mobster movies or twisty thrillers generally. But if you are a Sopranos fan, there are plenty of extra thrills in seeing characters only talked about in the series or younger versions of favorites like Paulie Walnuts and Silvio Dante, and discovering how New Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano and his world came to be.

Focusing on the Soprano-Moltisanti branch of New Jersey’s DiMeo crime family, the film gives an introduction to the world of “The Sopranos” and every major figure from the series at an earlier time. However, if you are a Sopranos fan expecting this film to deliver you right to the doorstep of Tony’s home, with the late James Gandolfini as the grown mob boss trundling out in his robe to get the morning paper, this ain’t it. The story ends with Tony still young but with a brilliant script by series creator David Chase and Lawrence Konner and strong direction by Alan Taylor (whose work included episodes of The Sopranos and Game of Thrones), THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK has creator David Chase’s fingerprints all over it and fully sets up how Tony Soprano and his world came to be, setting the stage for that iconic shot that opened every show but with room to fill in more details.

Set in the turbulent late ’60s and early ’70s in Newark, New Jersey, the story incorporates real historical events, as rival gangs challenge the powerful DiMeo crime family and racial tensions and changing times rock the city of Newark. The film’s striking cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau brings the turbulent times to life, while production designer Bob Shaw (who was with “The Sopranos” for five seasons), effectively recreates the period and the feel of the Sopranos’ world.

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK introduces us to 11-year-old Anthony Soprano (William Ludwig) and then 16-year-old Tony Soprano (Michael Gandolfini, son of the late Sopranos star). But the young Tony is less the central figure in this tale than his Uncle Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola), who was the unseen, but often spoken of, mentor to crime boss Tony’s in the series, as well as the evolution of this world into the world of the Sopranos series. Although young Tony Soprano is in the opening scene, the narration that introduces it comes not from him but from an unseen Christopher Moltisanti, Uncle Dickie’s not-yet-born son. Dickie isn’t really Tony’s uncle but a close friend of Tony’s father and a fellow member of the DiMeo crime family. Dickie, also known as “Gentleman Dick” for his nice manners and smooth style, is a father figure to young Tony while his father Johnny Soprano (Jon Bernthal) is in prison, also serving as Tony’s role model with the approval of Tony’s mother Livia (Vera Farmiga). Dickie’s own father, “Hollywood Dick” Moltisanti (Ray Liotta), a crime boss who once rubbed elbows with stars, has stepped back from running things, turning them over to Dickie. But his hot-tempered father still brings lots of stress to Dickie, after he and his new young Italian wife Giuseppina (Michela De Rossi) move into a shared duplex with his son and his family.

You might wonder who the “saints” are in this crime tale. Moltisanti means “many saints” in Italian but it is not the only reference the film slyly reveals throughout. The first of these “saints” are a street gang of Black youths named the Black Saints, who are stepping on the toes of this established Italian American crime syndicate in Newark. To deal with them, Dickie has brought in childhood friend and former high school football team mate Harold McBrayer (Leslie Odom Jr) to deal with one particularly bold Black Saint. Harold and Dickie are friends but Harold does not find a warm welcome from the rest of Dickie’s Italian American crime family. Both Harold and Dickie are ambitions but circumstances of the times are frustrating Harold’s ambitions.

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK is an ensemble film that blends many story lines as it weaves a picture of its times and the world young Tony Soprano is growing up in. Yet, the film is very cohesive, never losing us as it brings the various thread together, thanks to the well-crafted script. We are kept on the edge of our seats by every unseen turn in the plot but the film effectively mixes family drama and psychological character studies with crime film action and violence.

The crime family is on the verge of change and all their maneuvering is set against the changes and upheaval of Newark in the 1960s, particularly the race riots of the summer of 1967. The time period allows the introduction of a subplot about Harold McBrayer, played marvelously by Leslie Odom Jr., and an emerging Black crime syndicate. Early on, McBrayer’s experience with the Italian Americans parallels the path of Jewish and Irish mobsters in an earlier era, but the changing social and racial landscape alters that path and deepen the story.

Racial tensions are a big part of the story, not just historical backdrop, and some pivotal scenes take place during the summer 1967 Newark riots, which set large parts of the city aflame. In 1967, Newark is undergoing changes, as migration from the South brings increasing numbers of Black people into its working-class Central and North Wards, neighborhoods once dominated by Italian immigrants, cause clashes. The summer of 1967, the Summer of Love, sees the explosion of race riots, setting large portions of the city on fire, as changing times roil this branch of the DiMeo crime family.

Like the original show, the casting is superb, the characters striking, and the clever script provides drama, humor and mob thrills in satisfying measures. As Dickie Moltisanti, Alessandro Nivola is superb as a man torn by maintaining the smooth veneer of his family persona and coping with burning ambitions to discover his own path. All the characters in this tale are complex and multi-layered, chief among them this central one. Leslie Odom Jr has the character, Harold, who undergoes perhaps the greatest shift, and Odom handles the role masterfully.

Two of the most pivotal roles go to Ray Liotta, who plays both boss “Hollywood Dick” Moltisanti, a flashy, egotistical character with a short fuse, and his imprisoned brother Salvatore “Sally” Moltisanti, a looming figure who has embraced jazz, Buddhism and honesty in prison while still maintaining the requisite mob silence. A standout on the comedic side is John Magaro as the younger balding consiglieri Silvio Dante (played memorably in the original by Steven Van Zandt) – before the wig. The gifted John Magaro (who really should have been nominated for an Oscar for his moving performance as Cookie in last year’s unjustly-overlooked FIRST COW) is both delightful and unrecognizable in this role, capturing Silvio’s vanity and distinctive mannerisms while missing none of his underlying menace.

A standout on the drama, and psychological, side is Vera Farmiga’s performance as Tony’s troubled mother Livia, a role played so masterfully by Nancy Marchand in the original and matched here in intensity by Farmiga. Corey Stoll likewise shines as Junior, a character we meet in his dotage in the series but here a conniving striver with a penchant for accidents. Tony’s associates Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, played by Billy Magnussen and Sal “Big Pussy” Bonpensiero, played by Samson Moeakiola in his screen debut, are also well-drawn and help craft that evolving Soprano world. Italian actress Michela De Rossi plays Hollywood Dick’s much younger Italian trophy wife, a figure that evokes thoughts of THE GODFATHER in a different form.

Shot on location in New Jersey and New York, the film also perfectly captures the period look and feel, with portions of Patterson and other New Jersey towns along with areas of the Bronx, Yonkers and other parts of New York standing in for an earlier Newark. While the mobsters are playing out their operatic dealings, the landscape around them is in flames. The camera work is breathtaking and the framing of the crime family dealings against the historic backdrop is stunningly jarring. All the costumes and props are properly vintage but so are the mannerisms, the racist undercurrents, and sense of seismic shift at work. Period music individually suited to each character compliments each scene.

Whether you are a fan of The Sopranos or never saw an episode, THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK delivers as a satisfying experience, a crime tale set in a volatile period, packed with depth, striking characters, drama and action, sprinkled with sly humor and crackling dialog.

THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK opens Friday, Oct. 1, in theaters nationally.

RATING: 4 out of 4 stars