Director – Robert De Niro
Cast – Chaz Palminteri, Robert De Niro
I’ve always hated being asked, “What’s your favourite film?” It’s such a bastard of a question for someone like me with an unhealthy obsession with cinema, but seems to be a staple of the icebreaker questions in the beginner’s pack every fresher seems to have got before arriving. It vexes me so much I generally end up head-butting the poor stranger to ease the indecision within.
I have recently decided on an answer to this question however, mainly to avoid a custodial sentence, but also because I realised that when push comes to shove, I have a genuine answer – A Bronx Tale. Written by Chaz Palminteri, and directed by De Niro, it brings to life the sounds, atmosphere and people of the neighbourhoods of the ’60s Bronx in a way I have yet to see matched.
The plot is almost Shakespearean – unique and compelling. Nine-year-old Calogero Anello witnesses the local mafia chief, Sonny, kill a man in front of his house, but keeps silent when the police arrive. From this day on, Sonny takes Calogero under his wing; advising and looking out for him, but always firm in keeping him away from the criminal lifestyle. Calogero’s father – hard working bus driver Lorenzo, resents this influence on his young son, and the film follows the battle between the two men over the growing youth.
Verdict – Complimented by a great soundtrack, and showing the racial tensions of the era with stunning realism, A Bronx Tale is without a doubt one of the best films you will ever see.
5 Stars
