In which the Mister joins me in reviewing THE POPE OF GREENWICH VILLAGE (1986), from a script by Vincent Patrick from his 1979 novel , the film is directed by Stuart Rosenberg. The film follows Charlie (Mickey Rourke), a sharp-dressed, street-smart maître d’ with big dreams, and his reckless cousin Paulie (Eric Roberts), whose impulsive schemes constantly derail their lives. After losing their jobs, they get involved in a low-level heist that spirals out of control, entangling them with the local mob and resulting in unintended tragedy. As pressure mounts, Charlie is forced to choose between his ambitions, his conscience, and his loyalty to Paulie. The film blends gritty realism with dark humor, capturing the heartbreak, chaos, and stubborn resilience of life on the fringes of New York’s Little Italy. The film clocks in at 2 h and 1 m, is rated R and we watched it on the Hoopla app but is available on MGM+, PlutoTV, Tubi and to rent/buy on Amazon. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

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#ThePopeOfGreenwichVillage #VincentPatrick #StuartRosenberg #EricRoberts #Paul #MickeyRourke #Charlie #DarylHannah #Diane #GeraldinePage #MrsRitter #KennethMcMillan #Barney #TonyMusante #Pete #BurtYoung #BedBugEddie #MEmmetWalsh #Burns #JackKehoe #Bunky #PhilipBosco #PauliesDad #ValAvery #Nunzi #JoeGrifasi #JimmyTheCheeseMan #TonyDiBenedetto #Ronnie #RonaldMaccone #Nicky #Gangster #Action #Comedy #Crime #Drama @MGMplus @PlutoTV @Tubi @Amazon #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister and Monsters join me in reviewing NOBODY'S FOOL (1986), from a script by Beth Henley, the film is directed by Evelyn Purcell. The film tells the story of Cassie (Rosanna Arquette), a young woman living in a small town whose life has been haunted by a past filled with trauma, including stabbing her ex-boyfriend and giving up her baby for adoption. However, her life takes an unexpected turn when a traveling Shakespearean theater troupe comes to town, and she begins a relationship with a kind-hearted stagehand named Riley (Eric Roberts). The film follows Cassie's journey as she tries to overcome her past and embrace a new beginning, learning to find hope and love in the process. The film clocks in at 1 h and 47 m, is rated PG-13 and we watched it on DVD but is available to rent/buy on Amazon. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.

#NobodysFool #BethHenley #EvelynPurcell #RosannaArquette #Cassie #EricRoberts #Riley #MareWinningham #Pat #LouiseFletcher #Pearl #JimYoungs #Billy #StephenTobolowsky #Kirk #AnnHearn #Linda #CharlieBarnett #Nick #JJHardy #Ralphy #WilliamSteis #Frank #BelitaMoreno #Jane #LewisArquette #MrFry #ScottRosensweig #Winston #Comedy #Drama #Romance @Amazon #FridayFamilyFilmNight

Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library

In which the Mister joins me in reviewing MERCHANT IVORY (2023), from director Stephen Soucy, and writers Stephen Soucy and Jon Hart. The 2024 documentary "Merchant Ivory" explores the remarkable professional and personal partnership between director James Ivory and producer Ismail Merchant. It delves into their unique filmmaking process, often characterized by shoestring budgets and on-set drama, which nevertheless produced a string of acclaimed, literary-adapted films. Through interviews with James Ivory and numerous collaborators like Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Grant, Rupert Graves, Simon Callow, Vanessa Redgrave and others, the film celebrates their enduring legacy in independent and arthouse cinema. It also sheds light on their discreet romantic relationship and the "wandering company" they created over four decades. We caught the film on @tcm but it's also available to buy/rent on Prime Video. Please note there are SPOILERS in this review.
#MerchantIvory #StephenSoucy #JonHart #JamesIvory #IsmailMerchant #EmmaThompson #HelenaBonhamCarter #HughGrant #RupertGraves #SimonCallow #VanessaRedgrave #FelicityKendal #SamWaterston #JamesWilby #MadeleinePotter #SamuelWest #JamesFox #MarkTandy #NatashaMcElhone #GretaScacchi #AmandaWalker #AdrianRossMagenty #AvaJhabvalaWood #Documentary @PrimeVideo⁩ #FridayFamilyFilmNight
Opening intro music: GOAT by Wayne Jones, courtesy of YouTube Audio Library