Six Ways to Sunday

Produced by Jonathan Demme and based on the novel PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN DROWNING, SIX WAYS TO Sunday (6WtS) follows the adventures of Harold "Harry" Odum (Norman Reedus), a young man pinned so tightly under his mother's thumb he can barely move. On Harry's road of, er, self-discovery, he evolves (for lack of a better term) from mama's boy to hit man for the local Jewish mob. Even more mind-boggling, his smothering mom is played by an eerily effective Deborah Harry! (Deborah Harry Odum? :-) Although she gets to sing in flashbacks (and Blondie's "Sunday Girl" is used to nice effect in a diner scene. In fact, music is used well in this film overall, especially The Feminine Complex's charmingly Petula Clarkesque "Love Love Love"), for the most part Harry is startlingly different from her Blondie front-woman persona, both physically and personality-wise. Directed by Adam Bernstein, who's gone on to excellent work on RESCUE ME and other edgy TV series, 6WtS boasts a cast as talented as it is eclectic. Norman Reedus manages to be boyish and intense at the same time, as well as looking like the positive result of an eccentric geneticist's attempt to create a hybrid of Ewan McGregor, Leonardo DiCaprio, and a young Gary Sinise. There are also memorable turns by Isaac Hayes as a cop (listen for his rendition of "What A Friend We Have in Mother" during the opening scenes), Jerry Adler (best known in our household as Woody Allen and Diane Keaton's mysterious neighbor Mr. House in MANHATTAN MURDER MYSTERY) as the Jewish mob's equivalent of the capo di tutti capi, and Elina Löwensohn (NADJA, SCHINDLER'S LIST) as the girl Harry loves, reminding me of a sort of wistful, downtrodden Audrey Hepburn. For my money, the most entertaining scenes belong to Adrien Brody, and not just because I'm a fan of his. Brody channels his inner Ali G as Harry's childhood friend Arnie Finklestein, an inept gangsta wannabe who tries to look and act like a homeboy with hilarious results -- but nobody's laughing when he chickens out and flees the scene during one of Harry's hits... 6WtS isn't for all tastes, but if you like your crime comedies weird, dark and twisted, it's at least worth a rental.

This was the first film I ever saw Norman Reedus in, and his performance immediately captivated me. This film is so excellent I watched it twice. It's also darkly funny, which adds to the uniqueness and originality of the movie. If you've never seen this movie, rent it. You will not be sorry!

This masterful creation is bound to have any viewer thinking about it for some time after the credits roll. Thinking especially about the complex character of Harry Odum played by Norman Reedus - that's complex in more than one sense of the word. Adam Bernstein does an amazing job of plotting out the character development of Harry Odum throughout the story. His is a character that undergoes much change throughout the film and there is never a point where the viewer can pinpoint to say that Harry Odum has displayed an excessively overt transformation. The transition from a young fledgling who is still bathed and nurtured by his mother to a cold blooded killer for the Mafia happens quite smoothly. Smoother than you would probably think possible until you see this film. Of course, credit for this is also due to the fabulous performance by Norman Reedus. As well, Deborah Harry gave a pleasant performance as his incestuous mother.

As you may have guessed, any film dealing with the Mafia, incest, and a complex character with a complex is not a light natured film. In fact the mood gets quite dark at times and Adam Bernstein does a lovely job of keeping this dim air present throughout. This includes everything from the depressing industrial set town that the story takes place in, to the gloomy rooms that the scenes are shot in, to the dark lighting in many of the scenes, to the fitting music, all the way to the disparaging words and attitudes of the characters. All of which will contribute to leaving an indelible impression on the viewer.

If you are a big Debbie Harry/Blondie fan, this movie is for you. I can't get over how great of an actress she is, and some of the "things" she does and says in this movie. She even has a flashback to when she was younger, and she's singing like she did in Blondie, not to mention that in one scene, the Blondie song "Sunday Girl" is playing in the background.

"Six Ways to Sunday" is about a kid, Harry Odum, who finds connections to make money by working for the mob. He lives with his mother Kate (Debbie Harry), and has a very close relationship with her. (Later in the movie, you'll see just how "close" they are!) This is a very dark comedy, great acting, great story, a great movie. Movies require you to think too.

Please watch this if you get the chance. If you don't like it, it's not that much of a waste of money. I got the DVD for $9.99, so I'm sure the video, or a rental copy, is much much cheaper. And like I said, Debbie Harry is terrific in this movie, as well as the rest of the cast. And when the film is over, and you watch the screen fade to black after the last scene as the credits roll, you'll think, "what a move."

"Six Ways To Sunday" Stratosphere Entertainment cut a rousing trailer for this film. This left my expectations sky high. While a dangerous concept, expectations can also taint your feelings toward a film when it's all said and done. Henry Thomas look alike Norman Reedus stars as a Harry, a simple kid with an unusually touchy feely mother (Deborah Harry) who stumbles into the world of the mob. Becoming rich and dangerous in short amount of time, Harry begins to feel his world closing in around him. Mixing equal doses of "Goodfellas", "Psycho", and maybe "Spanking The Monkey", "Six Ways" is not an easy film to dismiss. Boasting a solid cast of diverse names (Isaac Hayes as a cop, personal fave Elina Lowensohn as the love interest), the film is an eclectic collection of themes. Incest, friendship, trust, and old friends, Director Adam Bernstein crafts a solid film that lingers longer that the average film would. That doesn't necessarily mean the entire film is successful. Adrian Brody makes a hilarious sorta-cameo is a crack smoking white homeboy. Sadly, the film doesn't really know what to do with him. The narrative blatantly falls apart in the final act and the blood is shed in great amounts, something that just isn't needed for success. Debbie Harry is a hoot as the domineering mother. She steals every scene she's in. I also really liked the glum setting of Long Island in the fall.

I see very clearly why this movie might rub people the wrong way. It's a glib, silly film. If you don't buy the concept, you ain't gonna stay with the movie. I stayed with it due to the cast, the story, Ms. Lowensohn, and the slim chance I would hear "Love, Love, Love" by the Feminine Complex(I believe the name of the group) - the song used in the trailer. It makes the film seem better than it probably is.----------- 7