Nunzio's Second Cousin (1994) User Reviews

Exploring the motive for bashing in an amusing way.

[Buzz Vinard · 9/10 · 24 October 2001]

Other than D'Onofrio's character looking really out of place with his date, I thought the film was very funny. Eileen Brennan is a riot as D'Onofrio's mother who utters the phrase that titles the film. D'Onofrio, one of today's best actors, is very intense in his role as an angry gay cop who just might consider himself outside the law. The teenager brought to dinner keeps the "deer in headlights" look throughout the film. Funnier might have been putting Seth Green into that role and letting him have some input into the character. However, I believe this short was filmed well prior to its release date of 1997, and Mr. Green's comedic talent was not as well known during filming as it is now. Thusly, his role is extremely brief.

This film is likely a shock for all the straight people who are used to seeing us gay people in "Will and Grace" type roles, and don't expect us to show up in more macho professions or looking like Vincent D'Onofrio. It's also probably too close to the bone for some "straight" men who lash out at gays, but take as many legitimate opportunities to get physical and "bond" with other men as possible. Great work.

Disturbingly effective gem of a movie

[f_thompson · 24 December 2002]

I continually watch this comedic little gem of a movie because it acts out what every gay-bashed man would want to do under the same circumstances and in the same manner that Carrie handled her tormentors. After watching D'Onofrio's insanely funny lecture to his bashers, we are treated to Eileen Brenan's over-the-top portrayal of his wacky Italian mom who serves up as much fun as pasta. The final scene with a handsome young wrestler brings home the message and sends me back for another delicious serving of this well scripted, well acted movie, however disturbing the topic may be to both straight and gay audiences.

obscenely twisted homophobia (spoilers in comments)

[cappyboy · 1/10 · 7 June 2010]

I read a review that found this short film amusing so I watched and waited for the fun to come. It never arrived.

*** Spoilers in this review *** What came was a seventeen minute trip via ignorant and homophobic characters. Since Tony, the main character is gay you'd think this would be uplifting. What it turns out to be is a shameful display of internalized hate for himself that gets acted out on a teenage boy struggling with his own fears that he's a homosexual too.

Tony turns the tables when a group of teenaged gay bashers attack him and his black date for the evening. At first there's a feeling of empowerment, knowing that as a police officer he puts the would be thugs in their place. The method may be questionable but the emotions are probably quite valid. They're committing a true hate crime, they deserve to be humiliated. Possibly even more since if he hadn't stopped them they could have even killed in their gleeful attack.

Tony is clearly saddened in a humane sort of way when a neighbor of his mother makes an extremely racist remark to him. It's obvious that Tony understands and is repulsed by the unfair and ingrained bias of the senior citizen that makes the awful statement with the implicit intent that Tony will enjoy it. That's what makes the next part of the video so surprising.

What's not right, not fair not even understandable is that when Tony manipulates Levon into coming to dinner at his mother's house he knows what's going on in the boys head. He not only continues the cruelty of his remarks and innuendos but accelerates the twisted behavior. Over dinner with his mother as an unwitting accomplice, Tony forces Levon to admit that they might have more in common than would appear on the surface. The implication is clear that Levon is suppressing his own homosexual inclinations and uses the gay bashing to cover them up.

When dinner is over, Mrs. Randazzo is pleased and delighted to send Levon off with leftovers and the promise of a return visit. Tony is nothing short of brutal when he humiliates Levon once his mother is out of sight. It's cruel of him in the worst of ways to treat the younger and conflicted Levon this way. It's understood that Tony has been the target of homophobic behavior and it's painful in a very personal sense. What we see is very much the victim becoming the victimizer and a horrible lesson in behavior from anyone and especially an Officer of the Law.

Eileen Brennan plays the part of Mrs. Randazzo with a maniac intensity and does it in such a way that you can't help but see the love and devotion she feels for Tony. Her character is equal parts crazy and loving but entirely solid from start to finish. Look for Seth Green as one of the gay bashing boys. Though he has little enough dialog his facial expressions are nothing short of entertaining in the midst of an awful scene.

This video should have been a powerful and moving experience, what it became was less than, and a truly mixed message. Not ambiguous in the way of leaving it up to the viewer to figure things out, it just never gets it's own head straight.

good intentions

[Kirpianuscus · 22 July 2019]

Maybe, it must be a lesson about tolerance. A cop, few young homophobic young men, an evening, invitation to dinner to one of them and a new , too brutal, lesson. But all seems fake and the film is saved by the performance of Eileen Brennan. Sure, the purpose is noble, the effort of Vincent d'Onofrio is admirable but the film does not...work. It is far to be convincing proposing violence and intimidation as tools for a sort of open mind about a community. The result is poor and the formula from the title does it bizarre.