Truly Dreadful Film

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Okay, the story feels fabricated, and the way everything comes together at the end just as much. So, if that's not for you, you can skip this. I ended up really enjoying the way things came together (as much as things fell apart at the same time) in the dead-end spot of a street on City Island.Of course, you'll need the right actors to pull it off, and Andy Garcia lead this bunch perfectly, although I found the audition scene (and the one in a million chance of the results, but that's what 'fabricated' entails) not totally convincing - it is always risky to put a great actor in the role of a wanna-be actor.Also, the storyline involving the son being into feeding big women didn't feel important within the whole. But all these minor faults didn't stop me from thoroughly enjoying this.

I didn't quite know what to expect when I sat down to watch this, but suffice to say I enjoyed it. I knew pretty early into it that things were going to be conflicting and confusing. And while it wasn't that big a deal, it still nagged at the back of my head that 'these people need help.' Luckily the movie answered my question before I could ask it with Tony. Tony was not my favorite character but he was able to confront the family about their issues in a way that was both funny and meaningful. The son and his interactions with his neighbor and classmate were extremely off-putting. I loved the daughter a lot, and her performance was wonderful. The mother was pretty insane and the love affair between her and her (unbeknownst) step-son was more disgusting than important. The father was an incredible actor, and I hope he goes on to bigger roles. I'd recommend this to you if you'd like to see an excellent dysfunctional family film.

Andy Garcia with a heart? True - here he's an average, flawed but decent and at times vulnerable family man, who has more success communicating with his charges at the correctional facility where he works as a guard than he does with his own family.In a low-key and heart-warming movie, the individual characters radiate individuality - aside of Garcia, (Vince Rizzo) there's his blunt and free-spirited (OK, bossy!) wife, Joyce (Julianna Margulies), college student daughter, who's dropped out to do a spot of stripping and their teenage son, who has a sexual fetish for BBW's...(and he gets to spy on one and meet her!)The family know nothing of each of their individual 'pursuits' - add to the mix Vince's poker sessions with the boys that are actually acting classes, run by that wonderful old sage, Alan Arkin, typically and sardonically treating us to a gentle belittling of his students. British Emily Mortimer sticks to her native accent as Vince's friend, who he gets to slowly confide in. Many will find Garcia's fumbled and over- acted, or under-acted? amateur dramatics very funny, as he hopelessly impersonates every gangster stereotype possible, with Brando's 'method' acting ripe for a swipe.Rizzo also manages to get some cheap, unofficial labour so he can build a bespoke bathroom - who this is, the effect he has on them all and who he turns out to be is a whole extra story, interwoven with the rest. Affectionately filmed in the Bronx, this has a community feel about it and the film's title refers to that place in one's mind and imagination in which to take a break - to think and reflect.What's best about it all is that it's comfortable with itself. It doesn't try too hard - it knows its place and with its affectionate heart, interesting characters, most will find City Island nicely satisfying.

This movie will take you down several paths, the individual lives of each member of this crazy, dramatic, dysfunctional family, where at first you think the ends of those paths are obvious, then twists and turns into something completely unexpected. There is drama, humor, and some very touching moments where, honestly, I cried, laughed, disagreed with, agreed with, then shook my head in wonder at the genius and insight of the writers of this story. If you have come from a dysfunctional family (really, who hasn't) and recovered, or not, you will truly appreciate this story at many levels. A refreshing change from the typical Hollywood fare.