User reviews

Greetings again from the darkness. This is established Visual Effects artist John J Budion's first feature film as writer-director, and he likely exorcises some personal demons with a semi-autobiographical look back at his childhood. Set in the summer of 1994 in East Rockaway, New York, the story is told from the perspective of an adult John (Frankie J Alvarez), who narrates his recollections of that year.

Young John (played by Maxwell Apple), a somewhat withdrawn kid, hero worships brash New York Knicks guard John Starks to the point that he wears a Starks jersey almost non-stop. The two are polar opposite personalities, and the only one who really understands John's obsession is his protective older brother Anthony (Keidrich Sellati, Henry from "The Americans"). Why does John need Anthony's protection? Well that's due to their abusive father (Wass Stevens, THE WRESTLER) who is bitter and angry most of the time - and takes it out on the boys and their mother (Marjan Neshat).

The brothers share two wishes: a championship for their beloved Knicks and a more peaceful living environment without their abusive father. They are so focused on the latter that they've created a scheme to "off" the angry dad - this despite their mother's promise to take them away from it all as soon as she finds work in another city.

It's about this time when John and Anthony meet some other neighborhood boys, and what follows is the easy camaraderie of kids when no parents are polluting the moment (an ideal that seems quite antiquated in this day and age). Billy (a standout Harrison Wittmeyer) is the mature-beyond-his years leader, Dom (James DiGiamcomo) is the unathletic jokester, Brian (Tanner Flood) is the brainy one, and Sal (Colin Critchley) is the motor-mouthed preener. The boys share a love of sports and the fine art of needling each other with sharp cut-downs. In other words, they are kids being kids, and this escapism opens up a new world for Anthony and John.

It's a coming of age story with obvious comparisons to STAND BY ME and THE SANDLOT, and though not at the level of either of those classics, it does feature some fine nostalgic moments of childhood. The film suffers a bit from an ending that's overly sappy and clean, though kudos to all involved if this is true to their life. It's certainly a stretch for most. Adults are more likely than kids to find appeal here, and the film might have benefited from a better exploration of what drove the dad to such extremes.

If you like young teenage drama movie, this is a good choice,because the 6 boys on the main cast were sooo good, very relaxed and in the mood for good dialouges and acting. its fun ,its sad, its cruel, its love, its shy, its death so the director must have cleared the ground in a good way. its a socalled narrative movie,and that is very well done.

what i didnt like was the last quater of the film, its like the helium went out of the balloon, and would have easily been a 9 or a 10, but thats my opinion also the score missed my marks, but the filmo and editing are really good.

dont let me spoil the dinner, its recommendable enough, enjoy the newcomers in the movieworld, they are good...

Don't worry. I'll protect you. Who will protect you?

"Rockaway" is an uncomplicated low-budget coming-of-age story that focuses on child abuse and a plan to escape from it. In general, it's not such a bad movie. It doesn't pretend to be any better than an average television film. A kind of Goonies, but not with a treasure map of One-Eyed Willy, but a paper with an inventively worked out sketch that shows how they can eliminate the aggressive father. When Anthony (Keidrich Sellati) and his younger brother John (Maxwell Apple) accidentally meet up with a group of other young kids, a friendship bond develops and the two boys end up in a happier world than they had known until then. No, the film wasn't really bad. Only the performances of the gang of kids was sometimes a bit bumpy. And the end was a bit too corny and artificial. With the right bag of chips and a matching drink, this film is quite enjoyable on a Saturday night!

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We set out to make a very powerful, personal film. I am humbled by the kind words, reactions, and feedback we have received from all over the world! This film is about a group of lifelong friends, completely produced, written, and executed by those same lifelong friends. Thank you for checking us out, and please continue to spread the word of our small, but powerful indie coming of age drama! Inspire, tell stories, do what you love! ROCKAWAY!

This is a real review, by a real person. You can check my other reviews to verify that.

I thought the movie was well-done. The acting was excellent. I was impressed by the talent and power of the these young actors and look forward to seeing more from them. The visual effects were quite good, and I really felt like I was watching something that was filmed in the past when this actually happened. The film moved well, and moved me also. It flowed well, and kept my interest throughout.

I won't go into the story line, as other reviewers have done a good job of that already. I will only say that it is a story that needs to be told, especially since it is based on actual events. The real-life characters are shown in the end credits next to their movie counterparts.

I recommend it without hesitation.

Sadly, most of the 9 and 10 reviews here appear to be fakes or "shills."

Here's the honest truth about Rockaway. It plays like a high school production. Of course we all love a good coming of age film, but this one has so many issues, you can't settle in and get lost in it. The acting is bumpy across all characters, particularly the boys who could have performed much better with skilled direction. Overacting and poor delivery are rampant throughout.

To compound the problem, the script itself is problematic, derivative, and often as awkward as the performances of the cast. There is an earnest attempt to infuse the film with the east coast Italian flavor of the locale, but it fails miserably.

Perhaps much of this could be forgiven, but the plot itself is terminally flawed, especially at the end. It just feels forced and lacks the very honesty the movie wants its viewers to connect with.

Lastly, not enough care was taken to ensure 90s scenes contained believable 90s backgrounds and artifacts (sloppy movie making).

Rockaway is a great story about two brothers, a group of friends, and a family that goes the lengths for each other. Taking place in the summer of 1994 in Rockaway, New York, the film brings back the nostalgia of pure good trouble-making fun with friends while learning the reality that each of your friends has a whole world inside of them. Coming from different homes and backstories, the story centers on brothers John and Anthony, who protect each other from their abusive father they combat with themselves to love, understand, and live with. No matter how bad it gets at home though, they know they have each other and their friends-- a true team. The boys learn to endure and get past the pain through sticking together, but not without a journey along the way. Rockaway stands as a great coming of age story for a boy growing up, turning learned behavior into absolute love.

I get this is John J. Budion's first attempt at writing and directing, but don't lie to your audience by fooling them with these fake reviews. Now I will never see a film by him. At best this film is a 4 or 5. Don't waste your time on a writer/director that has to lie to their viewers.

I saw all these perfect 9&10/10 reviews and decided to give this film a go. What a mess! Visual effects guy John J. Budion turned writer & director seems to have spent more effort on these fake reviews, than his production! Out of 37 reviews (all 9 & 10's), 36 are all fake! Click on the users name and you can tell lol.

For a visual effects guy, you'd think he'd ease up on using an orange washed out filter throughout the entire film. The writing was slow and boring as was the pace, the directing clearly a mess, and the actors albeit mostly kids were poorly directed. At 90 mins runtime, it felt like 150 mins.

It's a 'real' and generous 4/10 from me.

I saw a review of this film in the New Yorker last year, and it has been on my list to watch ever since. My only regret is that I waited so long to finally check it out. The talented young cast will make you laugh, make you cry, and remind you of your childhood. I hope more people come across this title and decide to hit the play button, it deserves to be seen. I also adored that the film was inspired by real events of first time feature film director John J. Budion's life. I look forward to checking out his future films and highly recommend Rockaway!

I felt the movie got off to a very good start and continued on that path for about half an hour, but then in an attempt to copy the charm of 'The Sandlot' (one actor even looks like the fat kid from that movie), it devolved into silliness and absurdity. The scenes on the tennis courts and then the baseball field had me fast-forwarding through much of the rest of the movie to about 10 minutes from the end, where it got quite emotional and regained some of its footing.

It seems obvious to me that most of the reviews accompanying high ratings are fakes, as there is no way anyone could watch this and seriously rate it a 9 or 10. I did think the kids did a decent job of acting, as did the few adults in the film, so no criticism there. But because of the aforementioned absurdity of some of the scenes, I'd have a hard time recommending this. If only it would have stayed on the original track, I think it would have been something special.

I'm absolutely stunned by the different highs and lows I was brought to throughout, from the absolute freedom of cycling around the city in the summer to the, very literally, tear-jerking ending, which was so beautifully handled. The film truly was a beautiful experience and testament to the possibilities of independent film making, and I want to thank you for sharing this story to the world!

Take the film "Lean On Me", add in a lot of "The Sandlot" and throw in a little "Radio Flyer". You end up with "Rockaway". There was nothing original about the movie.

The soundtrack was horrible. The music just didn't seem to fit.

I think they said "John Starks" more times in this movie than the announcers did in the 1994 NBA Finals. After hearing "John Starks" this and "John Starks" that so many times, it became irritating.

Some scenes seemed to drag on and on, such as the baseball game that I thought would never end.

Overall, this was not a very good movie. I have no deserve to ever watch it again. But, that's just me.

After reading the remarkable review in the New York Times, I slide down in my seat and made myself comfortable. The movie appeared to be reminiscent of my young childhood days. The familiarity with small town life and the emotions from the characters became a part of me. It allowed me to be absorbed in its strength and anger.

You can feel the support and friendship that grew between the brothers and friends as they struggled with the violence from the father. A true bond. A strong film. One I will never forget.

After reading the review on "Rockaway" in The New Yorker, seeing this movie was a no-brainer. From start to finish, director John J. Budion and cast take viewers on an intense journey that's both easy to follow and internally stimulating. The organization in the depth of each character's role is extremely well formulated. ... Check it out. This movie is definitely a must-see - disappointment won't be an option.

Very well done independent movie, no wonder it was an award winner. Great coming of age movie.

Having grown up in the town next door just a little less than a decade before the one depicted in this film, I can tell you it an incredibly accurate portrayal of the time and place.

The cast is absolutely amazing. I don't want to give the plot away, but this story will tug at your heartstrings.

An incredible feat by a first time film director. I very much look forward to seeing what he does next.

Congratulations to John Budion, the writer and director of Rockaway. He has captured the hearts of viewers with his story of friendship and survival. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time, and the genuine love shown between the friends and brothers touches the viewer's soul.

The acting is outstanding and the actors were brilliantly cast....one of the best movies! Especially loved the personal touch of real-life childhood photos during the credits.

An instant classic and instantly my favorite movie.

I thought i would watch this on a Sunday afternoon. It was a really good wee film. Great acting from the younger crew here, they just stole the show. Very much similar to Stand by me, regarding the friendships. Sad too. Watch it you wont regret it.

Rockaway is a great story about two brothers, a group of friends, and a family that goes the lengths for each other. Taking place in the summer of 1994 in Rockaway, New York, the film brings back the nostalgia of pure good trouble-making fun with friends while learning the reality that each of your friends have a whole world inside of them. Coming from different homes and backstories, the story centers around brothers John and Anthony, who protect each other from their abusive father who they combat with themselves to love, understand, and live with. No matter how bad it gets at home though, the friends know they have each other. The boys learn to endure and get past the pain through sticking together, but not without a journey along the way. Rockaway stands as a great coming of age film about a boy understanding learned behavior and turning it into absolute love.

I love this film! A movie for everybody regardless of where you are from. It's like watching my own childhood and I grew from a completely different culture. I highly recommend this to people who love traveling back to the past and reminiscing their childhood. Genuine, brave and brilliantly. I can't wait to see more from John Budion.

What an adventure, it's like a basketball version of the sandlot. some young talent here to keep an eye on

'Rockaway' truly is a gem! Beautifully written & directed by John J. Budion with the stunning town of East Rockaway as a character of its own, this movie isn't one to miss. Reminiscent to great coming-of-age classics like 'Stand by Me', this one helps define the genre. John J. Budion is the future for indie cinema. Genuinely happy and impressed.

I might be biased as a current East Rockaway resident, mid-30's adult who grew up in the next town over from ER (the scene where the kids steal tennis balls is located up the block from my childhood home); but this movie truly hit home for me! It really resonated with childhood growing up in the 1990s on the south shore of Long Island. But even for those who haven't grown up the way myself and the director did, I still think this movie will resonate for you. I laughed, I cried, I was happy and I was scared. It was honor to have the cast and crew spend last summer filming this movie in our quiet little village of East Rockaway and I hope to show my future children this movie one day. It's a movie great for all ages!

Just wanted to say thank you to all of you for reawakening the memories of our sleepy little town. While I haven't been back there since 1997, growing up in East Rockaway back in the late 60's and 70's and attending ERHS were some of the best and worst times in my life. There are plenty of stories buried in that little town. Thanks for bringing this one out of the closet!