Southie

"Southie" is worth a look. We have seen this movie before, only that now instead of being about Italian-Americans, it depicts Irish-Americans in Boston. As directed by John Shea, it misses the mark, but it shows a director who shows a lot of promise, as we already know him as an excellent film actor.

The film has an improvised look, which might have been the case, but we'll never know. The different Boston heavy accents stand in the way for enjoying it much more, in my humble opinion.

Donnie Wahlberg shows his usual intensity. Rose McGowan, as Kathy, shows she has the potential to do bigger and better things. As the Quinn matriarch, it was a pleasure to see Anne Meara, a wonderful actress and a great human being in real life.

Let's hope Mr. Shea will come out with a better film the next time out.

I was completely amazed by Southie. I was expecting a movie where Donnie Wahlberg was the center of attention and the action focused around drawn out, bloody battles. To my surprise it wasn't. The story line was interesting and the cast seemed like they were all meant to be together. If you can get past the "New Kids on the Block" Donnie Wahlberg mentality, Southie is an excellent movie worthy of the award it has won and many more.

... the Southie that tried so hard from the Garrity era on down to portray themselves as Just Another Heart Of Gold (all-white) Community, or the one that really exists?

This isn't a great movie. The production values are spotty, such plot as exists is threadbare, sound fades in and out, and you won't put the tape back in the box having learned much of anything.

But paintings don't tell stories either; they're evocative mood-setting pieces, and so is this movie. Wahlberg doesn't put phony speeches in the characters' mouths, he doesn't have a happy ending, nothing much is resolved, and no one is any less of a mess than at the beginning. He presents you a moving image of a profane, drunken, violent environment that is a side of Southie the residents and the city of Boston would prefer you not see. It's there nonetheless.

6/10.

I happened upon Southie one day while browsing through my local video store. Having grown up around Boston I was amazed that I did not hear of it before. Even though the DVD had a very `B' looking cover, I gave it a shot… I was very surprised! Donnie Wahlberg was very convincing as Danny Quinn, a Southie kid who returns home after a self-imposed exile. He finds his family slowly falling apart, and hears the neighborhood beckon him to return to a life of crime. If this sounds familiar, that's because it is! The script suffers from a lack of originality, but the interesting thing is that the dialogue is very well written, even though the theme is well trodden. The acting is also well done: James Cummings plays the film's principle antagonist Joey Ward, and manages not to go over the top, (as many others tend to in gangland films such as this). Rose McGowan is also wonderful as Danny's younger sister Kathy, who battles with alcohol addiction. Finally Lawrence Tierney gives a fine Cameo as a local `good' gangster. The only thing that is noticeably absent in this film is any drug use whatsoever. South Boston like many other urban neighborhoods has had many problems with drugs. The difference is that in Southie most live by a code of silence, and do not like to air dirty laundry about their community, whether it's true or not. That may explain why James Cummings, a South Boston native, didn't include any reference to them. Overall this is a fine film, which I recommend to anyone who enjoys the genre. The DVD also includes one of the best Cast/Director commentaries that I've ever experienced… A real treat!!!

I rented this movie because I read the box too quickly and thought it starred Marc Wahlburg, not Donnie. When I got it home my wife asked me who Donnie was and I realized my mistake. However, I was very pleased with my mistake. This was a very good movie. A real family, good vs. bad and even small time mob interests. No nudity for those interested in that sort of thing.

Rose McGowen's acting was very good. Also, she looks gorgeous even when she's made up to look like a white trash alcoholic. The characters' accents do sometimes slip in and out with the exception of Donnie who is from Boston in real life.

All in all, it was a very good movie.