Yonkers Joe

source: Yonkers Joe

This film has been criticized a lot for being "flat", "unsubstantial", containing "uncomfortable scenes" and featuring a character who's portrayed in an "exaggerated way". Well, it might be because Hollywood usually offers blockbusters with no real stories but standard hot-shot acting, endless car chasing, plane high-jacking and gun shooting scenes or fantastic high-tech effects in movies without a message and action line that can be summed up in one sentence. A non-mainstream oriented piece is hardly a match. Why does it deserve 9 stars out of 10 then? Number 1 - because it has a story to tell: the relationship between a father, who earns his money with inventing new ways of cheating the casinos across the country and a son, who has a Dawn syndrome; between a person who has never escaped the responsibility of caring for his child, but who can never find the right way to express it in person, and another one, who - although with mental problems - can express it better than anyone else. In this shortly presented scrap of a story you can find all the greatness and sadness of life and be pushed to think about what's really meaningful in it. Number 2 - specifically because it features a character with a Dawn syndrome. People do feel uncomfortable during some of the scenes. Well, in this case, watch how the characters react, and learn. Because people with mental difficulties shouldn't be ignored, underestimated, laughed at or isolated. They might have difficulties in perceiving the world the way most of us do, and still they should be treated as an equal part of society, they should be thought of and cared about. The character of Tom Guiry is not over-acted. If you've ever communicated with a person suffering from a Dawn syndrome, you'd know. Just watch and learn. Number 3 - because of the amazing gambling moves. That's the other part of the story - what the characters do is clearly unlawful, but you cannot help but sympathize with them for the sake of their potential of inventing and pulling off the tricks they do. Fun, simple, yet surprising and smooth. Let me just add that the acting of everyone involved was on a quite good level - especially Tom Guiry who had the most difficult part. Chazz Palminteri, especially at the end, gives quite a touching performance that's contrasting to the usual image of a hit-man or a mafia guy he's mostly playing. I watched the movie three times - the third, solely for the sake of the original music by Chris Hajian. All in all, a classy, emotional and touching movie, worth watching.

Chazz Paminteri stars as a gambler who is trying to come up with a way to score a big mount of money from the casinos in Atlantic City and Vegas when he's informed that his mentally challenged son not only hit a fellow resident in his hospital, but will be turning 21 which means that he will have to be sent elsewhere. Great performances by Palminteri , Christine Lahti and Thomas Guiry highlight this small independent film. yes the gambling plot is contrived and doesn't always work, but the scenes between the father and the son are damn near perfect and I can only assume that the smallness of the production was the reason that they never got noticed. Worth a look if you want to see great acting a movie that doesn't always work, but which has moments that really do.

I'm not kidding, I'm seriously speaking from the heart now. I went to a special screening of Yonkers Joe in Manhattan not to long ago. The lights went out, the movie began, I had a full tub of popcorn. My eyes wide open we're fixed on the screen as I placed popcorn in my mouth one kernel at a time. From the first frame to the last I was transfixed into the World of Yonkers Joe. Chazz Palminteri totally blew me away with his performance. The gambling scenes we're down right amazing, then Yonkers Joe's son came into the picture and it took the story to another level. Tom Guiry plays the son with Down Syndrome, Christine Lahti is Joe's girlfriend, Michael Lerner, Linus Roache, Michael Rispoli and Roma Maffia round off this stellar cast. I'm truly excited to see this film again when it's released in January. Kudos to all involved, a great film and a must see.

this first part is in response to HANNAHPI ,go get a life ,to suggest that this film is not good is a personal slap in the face to me ,,, my friend ,,FASTJACK has a small part in this great movie ,,never seen before gambling scenes ,,some of the greatest character actors Hollywood can produce ,, great acting by CHAZZ AND COMPANY and for the director to put those gambling scenes on the silver screen took a lot of inside knowledge and a pair of balls ,afterall ,that,s how i made my living ,,but ,,celestino ,,i forgive you for exposing those top professional secrets ,,, you made ,,,we few pros that are left ,,proud and supportive of your film ,,you see ,,,we ,,are jusr part of American folklore and glad we are out there now ,,,great job ,,MR , DIRECTOR ,,AND TO YOU HANNS ,,,GET A REAL LIFE.

Nice indie film with great ingredients: gambling, sleight of hand, craps rather than cards, no poker sponsors (Hurrah!) and in the mix a good family drama about a father discovering his mentally handicapped son and building that relationship. It works in the main: a very solid cast and a good script give this some oomph, however it is a little light on real drama. Perhaps it suffers from the seen it before syndrome that afflicts most con films, even with the twists of dice and a handicapped kid, that aside as a study of a gambler rediscovering life it works well. It is enjoyable and the performances are solid. Definitely worth viewing - just lacks something that something extra that would make it truly memorable.

They say "con artist" - yes, but it's about a gambler trying to beat the system. I think gambling makes it more interesting than just generic con artists. The son in the movie is portrayed with depth of character. If anyone is giving out awards, look no farther than Tom Guiry. He already has amassed an amazing list of credits. He plays a kid who has a poor relationship with his father. He has been sent away due to his Down Syndrome (forgive me if that is wrong). The father/son relationship is such a unique bond that you really feel for them. That's really the reason to see the movie. The gambling cons are just fun and creative. The writer/director does an amazing job of putting it all together and the cast is stellar.

This movie's plot revolves around a small gang as it prepares itself to take on the Casinos. As a counterpoint, a simultaneous plot evolves involving a very difficult father-son relationship. The two interwoven plots, like a piece of contrapuntal baroque music, result in a rich textured film that never bogs down. Where "Ocean's 11" may epitomize the star-studded Hollywood con movie and "21", the real-life story adaptation, this wonderful Indie film carves out it's own territory. Believable, informative and very enjoyable. A fine and successful effort by all involved, with special kudos to Tom Guiry for a truly remarkable performance.

This film was cringe inducing for many reasons, Most of the scenes involving the the son were bordering on offensive. Apart from that and the obvious rain-man ripoff, the acting was very flat and the movie has no real feel to it. The casino scenes are few and far between(unfortunate since they are the only scenes of any worth. Tom Guiry takes on a role similar to that of Tugg Speedman playing Happy Jack in Tropic Thunder nuff said!!Chazz Palminteri surely deserves a better script than this to show his best talents. All in all I would give this film 1 out of 10(SERIOUSLY) for the ill advised script. If I had paid to get into the screener I would definitely asked for my money back. AVOID

I think that Yonkers Joe (2008) is an excellent movie--well acted, well directed, well done! Tom Guiry is not guilty of overacting. He wants to show audiences that, as a person with special needs, he does not belong with his father. At the end of the movie, Joe, Jr. and his father hug, showing their deep love for one another. Joe, Jr. does not belong in his father's world. He has his own world. He has his own friends. In his own world, he can make love as a complete man, and does not have to apologize for his sexual thoughts, feelings, or actions. And, yes, his father is a gambler. Joe, Jr. has enough intelligence and intellect to be aware that his father's world will not give him want he needs and wants. But, his father allows his son to win at something. And, this is a moment of great pride and high self-esteem for Joe, Jr. He is able to show, in a very concrete way, just how much he loves his father. Joe, Jr. can now go into the world with his head held high. He loves his father, and does not care how he makes his living, just as long as he continues to win. Joe, Jr. shows infinite faith and great pride in his father. Joe, Jr.'s father is his son's hero, no matter what, and there is a strong bond between them--so strong that even gambling cannot destroy their resilient bond. In Joe Jr.'s eyes, his father is a giant--and is not a common, ordinary hood. Christine Lahti's supportive performance is as riveting, as the performances of the father and son. Superb! I rank this movie a 10 out of 10.