Donnie Wahlberg gives a wonderful, quiet performance as Danny Quinn, a young man returning home after taking time away to get himself together. What he finds is that his sister (Rose McGowan) has become an alcoholic, one of his brothers owes money to a mafia boss, and his mother's health is deteriorating.
Danny is a protagonist you'll find yourself rooting for because his dilemma is classic: how to avoid the problems of his neighborhood without insulting his family and old friends? How to be respected by the people he loves without repeating their mistakes? I know this movie is supposed to be about a particular neighborhood, but I found that the values and problems depicted in it could be found in many lower middle class areas.
The only distraction was John Shea as the cop friend of Danny, who helped him get out of "Southie" (before the movie begins.) Shea did a great job directing, but he ought to have cast someone else in this role because he comes across as frantic and almost annoying.
But nevermind that; his role is small. Rent "Southie." This is a great alternative to Hollywood's usual version of blue collar life. Real clothes, real cars, real houses, real life.
Danny is a protagonist you'll find yourself rooting for because his dilemma is classic: how to avoid the problems of his neighborhood without insulting his family and old friends? How to be respected by the people he loves without repeating their mistakes? I know this movie is supposed to be about a particular neighborhood, but I found that the values and problems depicted in it could be found in many lower middle class areas.
The only distraction was John Shea as the cop friend of Danny, who helped him get out of "Southie" (before the movie begins.) Shea did a great job directing, but he ought to have cast someone else in this role because he comes across as frantic and almost annoying.
But nevermind that; his role is small. Rent "Southie." This is a great alternative to Hollywood's usual version of blue collar life. Real clothes, real cars, real houses, real life.