Touches You

The Age of Commercialism

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

I saw The Dukes last week at the Chicago International Film Festival. I LOVED IT. I have watched a lot of classic Italian cinema and have seen American films that clearly try to capture the spirit of those films; This is the first one , in my humble opinion that DOES. It is such a charmingly, delightful , funny and heartfelt piece. The ensemble of actors play like a great Jazz band . The performances are real, nuanced, and touching. The humor comes out of human characters not hackneyed forced situations we see in a lot of films today. I laughed out loud so many times but from the humanness of the characters and situation not because of being manipulated into laughter like so many comedies. And this is the first and only film I know of that is dealing with the current economic crisis but does so not despairingly but with a message of HOPE. You will leave the theater feeling uplifted. The film was directed by Robert Davi ,this was his directorial debut and he does a fantastic job . I cannot recommend this film enough. Davi,(who also stars in the film) along with Chazz Palminteri and Peter Bogdanovich has put together a GREAT group of actors. A story for this time. Without going in depth, the film follows two cousins , Davi and Palminteri ,who are DOO -WOP singers . In the 1960s they were the biggest act around . The film takes place today and they are no longer what they once were and are trying to make ends meet. The analogies in the film are right on target. As we see the collapse of the economy and families trying to make ends meet this film speaks to those struggles of trying to redefine how we all make our living ..and survive ..I was brought to tears several times during the film some from that trieste feeling we have from life and others from a kind of joy and hope that you are left with at the end of this film

A cast of characters and a story that i just fell in love with! I was truly captivated by this story and enchanted that it managed to make me cry, laugh, and clench my teeth inside of 100 minutes. This script was so spontaneous and captivating i didn't blink because i didn't want to miss a milisecond. Davi and Palmiteri give beautiful performances that make your heart melt for these two and they are supported by an outstanding cast that each have their own charm that makes your laugh or cry or BOTH! I walked away absolutely charmed by these actors - they did their job on the silver screen and made me fall in love with all of them - be it their talent AND the screenplay. This film was so enjoyable and i find it such a rarity in film-making these days to walk away from a movie feeling so much joy from what i just experienced. Such a great piece, i put it on my top ten indie masterpieces.

Having followed Robert Davi's career for some time, I was not at all surprised by his usual excellent performance in his new film, "The Dukes". The real surprise to me was his deft handling of the directorial task. As a first time director, one might expect to find fault with his efforts. On the contrary. The movie is a seamless, professional product that is extremely entertaining.Another unexpected surprise was the beautiful singing voice of Mr. Davi. Although I was familiar with his opera background and had heard snipits of his singing before ("Goonies", "Amazon", "Wiseguy") I had no idea that his versatility extended to the "doo wop" genre. One can only hope that we will hear more of this side of the multi-talented Davi again in the future. I hate to use words like "old fashioned entertainment" or "refreshing" but "The Dukes" is both. Without being maudlin or sentimental. It will have you laughing one minute and then tug at your heart strings the next. As Davi also wrote the script, he should also be given credit for the overall tone of the film. How unusual these days to see a film that doesn't have the obligatory "F Bomb" in every other sentence. And - no exploding cars! Or nudity! It really is a film that the whole family can watch and enjoy.I congratulate Mr. Davi on his wonderful film and hope that it will be released soon so that the rest of the Country can enjoy it (and so I can see it again!)

Saw this film at the DGA, great performances, heart warming, and very funny. Some classic moments, great chemistry between Chazz Palminteri, Robert Davi and Peter Bogdanovich. Miriam Margolyes is great as Aunt Vi, a role she normally would not be thought of. Elya Baskin is hysterical. Frank D'amico, who i have not seen before, is terrific. Eloise DeJoria combines sensitivity with a subtle comedic quality. Melora Hardin, from The Office,hits just the right tone as Danny's(Robert Davi)ex-wife.Bruce Weitz,Elaine Hendriks and Joyce Westergaard are all terrific. This is Robert Davi's first time directing and he does a fantastic job. The film has many twists and I could not predict where things were going ,which I normally do very easily.I laughed as hard in a few places as I ever had. The blending of pathos, humor and believabilty are rare these days..A MUST SEE