The Narrows

Most of the films of this genre are hackneyed remakes of classics with nothing new to add except a new face here and there. This film is obviously tailored to an intelligent novel and the acting is surprisingly tight. Donofrio is outstanding as the bitter old numbers runner who can't seem to get over the death of is saintly Italian wife; not too many clichés there, huh? But he pulls it off with the panache only he can bring to a role. Huzzah for you, Mr. Vincent, you did it again. But as the lead, Kevin Zegers steals the show. Where has this kid been? He is believable, beautiful and serious. I know that the established critics bombed this film, but that's never swayed me all that much. I watch a lot of films and this one, though far from a ten, is a solid seven.

Really good modern New York streetwise gangster movie. The Narrows has a wide range of good acting from the cast, but Titus Welliver as the local mob boss was so good he scared me. Vincent D'Onofrio was as good as he always is, as one of the local underlings & the father of the main character, Mike Manadoro played by Kevin Zegers. Kevin Zegers I had not seen before, but he held his own throughout the flick & I hope to see him again. The rest of the cast helped the movie for me come out as one of those huge surprises you come across when you search through a list of nameless movies to find a sleeper hit & "The Narrows" was just that. Also, Sophia Bush as Mike Manadoro's new upscale girlfriend, well she was just hot. If you have a chance to see this do, it will be well worth your time.

surferboy

Watched this only because I saw that Titus Welliver was in it, but his part was very small. Yet another terrible mafia film knockoff. A lot of wasted talent here.

The Narrows is a film that never truly takes off. From start to finish, it feels like you're watching several different movies stitched together, each competing for attention but never blending into something cohesive. Instead of pulling me in, it left me completely lost-and, more importantly, completely bored.

The setup tries to be sophisticated and clever, bouncing between the "neighborhood life" the main character grew up in and the new world he's exposed to while off at college. On paper, that duality should create tension and depth. In execution, it just feels jumbled and disjointed, never finding its footing or establishing a rhythm.

The screenplay is the film's biggest downfall. The writing drags, stumbles, and circles back on itself to the point where I found myself dozing off-literally. I had to rewind multiple times, hoping it would finally click, but it never did. Instead, it settled into a nonchalant tone that kept the story flat and lifeless.

At the end of the day, The Narrows isn't gripping, it isn't sharp, and it certainly isn't entertaining. It's a slow, unfocused drama that thinks it's more profound than it actually is, and the result is a forgettable, dragging experience that I wouldn't recommend.

Most gangster, mob, mafia films portray the dominance of that life, squashing and absorbing the protagonist. The Narrows flips that script with subtlety without reducing the tension. The story, script, direction and cast were all spot on. Typically, directors like Scorsese and De Palma bash you in the face with the reality of that life. I love every second of their films. Having seen their films allows this film to shine. WATCH THIS MOVIE!!