Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Excellent but underrated film

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

I was persuaded to watch this film on late-night TV by the cast: Tim Robbins, Jodie Foster and John Turturro, and lots of familiar faces who you're glad to see, even if you don't know their names. Turturro is better in this than in most of his later work. Psycho? or just a stupid, unhappy bully, whose violence seems almost normal in the tough, white, working class neighbourhood which gives the film its title. He is genuinely threatening, mean, short fuse, unpredictable, but a believable rounded character who excites our pity as well as our disgust. Foster and Robbins fit their roles like fingers fit gloves, the period setting - 1964 - is nicely realised, and the script sets up and resolves a series of classic conflicts with some originality and some appealing off-the-wall subplots. Of course, the good end happily and the bad unhappily, but that is fiction, my dear, and that is why I call it a melodrama. If it comes up on the late-night schedules, or you see it in your local video-store, watch it.

This film is a little gem. A very good quirky understated drama. The story is well-developed, reasonably believable, and directed quite nicely. The story is set in a New York neighborhood in the time period of early 60s - both aspects are portrayed well in the film - realistic and believable but not so hammed up as to come across as phony. The acting is superb. Tarturro is great - plays the part of a local psycho bully very well - quite edgy and frightening but not over-the-top. Both Jodie Foster and Tim Robbins also do really well in this movie and is probably the best of that time period (the 80s) for either actor. Would recommend the movie for anyone looking for a good drama or for a movie with some social commentary that does not overwhelm the story.

Five Corners is a socially relevant film with a unique visual styleand a sense of humor. the cast is superb. Robbins, Foster andTurturro give hints as to what they would go on to accomplish astheir careers grew. Todd Graff is also awesome but seems to behaving better luck as a screenwriter and producer. The twofemales who play the glue sniffers are hilarious in roles that couldhave easily be unsympathetic. The two mothers (Chalfant andGregorios) carry their weight in smaller but no less significantroles. The two cops are straight out of the old crime dramas of the1940's and 50's. There is also a good sense of 'place' in the film. Igot a genuine feel for the neighborhood where these charactersdwelt. I have also had the pleasure of being directed by Tony Bill ina made for T.V. movie, A Chance of Snow. He's a professional. Iwish that he'd do more along the lines of Five Corners.

Set in 1964 Bronx, the film starts off great with the Beatles "In My Life" and just keeps getting better.A psycho Heinz (John Turturro) is released from prison and goes after the woman Linda (Jodie Foster) who put him there. Harry (Tim Robbins) and James (Todd Graff) try to protect her. Then there's the man that "sells" his girlfriend and her friend to two guys. And there's people being shot with arrows...This got some noteriety in it's 1988 release because its writer, John Patrick Shanley, had just won the Oscar for "Moonstruck". But this film disappeared without a trace after that. That's a shame because it's a fantastic movie.The script is sharp and believable with three-dimensional characters and ALL the performances are great. Direction by Tony Bill is perfect...he gets a real feel for the era and captures it on screen. It's also interesting to see Tim Robbins before he hit it big. Engrossing from beginning to end...a must see!There's so many great lines in this movie! But a particular standout is "Someone murdered our teacher, so we have the day off. Want to go for a ride?"