Rated R - Running Time: 1:48 - Released 9/6/02
CITY BY THE SEA
Rated R - Running Time: 1:48 - Released 9/6/02
It's interesting that I went to see Michael Caton- Jones's City
By The Sea on September 11th. The appearance of the World
Trade Center towers, which show prominently but could easily have
been removed, is something I probably would have noticed anyway,
but on this day it was particularly resonant. It is somehow indicative
of director Caton-Jones's decision to let this film stand on its
own merits, unadulterated and unashamed, without relying on post-production
work to smooth the rough edges and edit out those things which
may cause painful memories. Because painful memories are an integral
part of this film, one which ultimately provides a showcase for
excellent acting by some older, established performers and also
some newer faces. A gripping drama involving a New York detective
with a complex web of family problems, it allows Robert De Niro
to show once again that his range is wider than simply a variety
of "goodfellas," and his young co-star, James Franco
(some may remember him from the vastly underrated and now defunct
TV show Freaks & Geeks), proves he has the technique
to run with the big boys. Likewise, the ever-reliable Frances
McDormand lends her significant technique to a supporting part,
and 22-year-old Eliza Dushku proves she is able to handle more
than teen sex comedies and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Written
by Ken Hixon (based on the Esquire article "Mark of
a Murderer" by Mike McAlary), the screenplay is not without
its trite elements, but for the most part it pulls its weight,
delving deeper into the human condition than would be required
from a lesser film.
The city referred to in the title is Long Beach, New York,
a place known in decades past for its low crime rate and pleasant
seaside atmosphere, which has fallen into decay in subsequent
years. The town's downfall was instigated, at least in part, by
the 1959 murder case of a man accused of smothering a baby whom
he had kidnapped from its wealthy parents, intending to demand
a ransom. The man, who was executed in the electric chair, turns
out to be the father of De Niro's character, Lt. Vincent La Marca,
who was only 6 at the time. Since then, Vincent has tried to live
his life above reproach, "to be so good," as he puts
it, "that nobody could pin anything on me." But that
all changes when Vincent's estranged and heroin-addicted son Joey
(Franco) is accused of killing a man, and then another—the
second being Vincent's own partner (George Dzundza). Suddenly
with his famous family name back in the papers and his NYPD colleagues
out for blood, Vincent must try to patch things up with Joey while
attempting to bring him to justice. At the same time, he is faced
with explaining all this to his neighbor and lover, Michelle (McDormand),
who didn't even know he had a son, and with yet another family-related
issue of which he himself was not aware.
While some of the events and dialogue in this movie get increasingly
unlikely as its final reel unspools, the actors put forth uniformly
solid performances, and DeNiro shows some emotion he doesn't usually
reach in his more familiar roles. Franco, looking like a young
Keith Richards but with all the miles, really shines as the confused
youth who wants to get straight but hasn't the willpower. Essaying
smaller but no less challenging roles are Dushku as Joey's strung-out
girlfriend, caught in her own emotional spiral, and William Forsythe
(De Niro's old pal from Once Upon A Time In America) as
the villainous dealer who is connected to them all. In addition
to the quality of acting, director Caton-Jones achieves a nicely
decrepit atmosphere, showing the titular city in the abject shadow
of its former glory, the seedy, gritty backdrop for this desperately
emotional story.
Amid the sea of mediocrity that has become the rule of American cinema, it's nice to go to a city like this, where competent acting (rather than glitzy computer effects work) is the primary industry. ****½
