Directed by Alan J. PakulaMy rating: 3.5 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)
Powerhouse drama is a tour de force for Albert Finney and his two costars. Matthew Modine is the older brother forced into a life of petty theft to support himself and his brother who were abandoned by their parents. They live in a bleak, rundown house in Newark, New Jersey. The paint is peeling, garbage is everywhere and they live on tuna and peanut butter. Modine is a live wire, his emotions completely out of control and prone to violence. He dominates the younger brother, played by Kevin Anderson, convincing him that if he leaves the house he will die from an allergic reaction. It's a fascinating relationship. Enter Albert Finney, a drunk gangster that was supposed to be a victim but instead turns out to have a stabilizing effect on the two brothers. Finney is perfectly cast and this is perhaps is best performance. He manages to win the respect, and eventually love, of both brothers by a combination of cold discipline and warm outreach. The house gradually undergoes a transformation, mirroring the lives of its inhabitants. We are never quite sure what Finney does for a living, only that it involves large sums of cash in briefcases, the assumption being it is connected to the Chicago underworld. It all comes crashing down in the violent yet inevitable ending. My only criticisms would be a somewhat stagebound feel and some overacting on the part of Anderson.
IMDb
(DVD, Warner Archive Collection)
Powerhouse drama is a tour de force for Albert Finney and his two costars. Matthew Modine is the older brother forced into a life of petty theft to support himself and his brother who were abandoned by their parents. They live in a bleak, rundown house in Newark, New Jersey. The paint is peeling, garbage is everywhere and they live on tuna and peanut butter. Modine is a live wire, his emotions completely out of control and prone to violence. He dominates the younger brother, played by Kevin Anderson, convincing him that if he leaves the house he will die from an allergic reaction. It's a fascinating relationship. Enter Albert Finney, a drunk gangster that was supposed to be a victim but instead turns out to have a stabilizing effect on the two brothers. Finney is perfectly cast and this is perhaps is best performance. He manages to win the respect, and eventually love, of both brothers by a combination of cold discipline and warm outreach. The house gradually undergoes a transformation, mirroring the lives of its inhabitants. We are never quite sure what Finney does for a living, only that it involves large sums of cash in briefcases, the assumption being it is connected to the Chicago underworld. It all comes crashing down in the violent yet inevitable ending. My only criticisms would be a somewhat stagebound feel and some overacting on the part of Anderson.
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