Ash Wednesday

Regardless of how you feel about gangster movies, its nice to see a new star come and and take it on his own to make the movie he wanted to make. Edward burns did that here with "Ash Wednesday". With a story-line that might be a little more interesting for catholics and Newyorkers, the movie moves along like a great story with no concern for the lead up that most big hollywood movies have to include. Its nice to a see a person leaving to go meet a character everyone in the audience thinks is going to really reveal the climax of the movie and then get swept away in the "real life like" sidetracks that run us through everyday. Without giving away any of the story here, Id like to say i applaud Burns' obvious conviction to the movie, at times it seems as if he doesnt care if the viewer is comfortable with unfolding events or not. A good suspense mob movie is supposed to do just that, like that first time you watched "Goodfellas" and went crazy when Loraine Bracco and Deniro go for that walk that she realizes will certainly end her life. "Ash Wednesday" doesn't do it as well as "Goodfellas" did but when you are digging around at the video store and cant decide whether to see "Miller's crossing" for the umpteenth time or take a chance; I say Chance AWAY!