MAC
A film review by Mark R. Leeper
Copyright 1993 Mark R. Leeper
Capsule review: John Turturro plays a character based on his own father in a film he directs and also co-wrote. Turturro proves that the lives of a family of carpenters is no less interesting than the lives of a family of criminals. Surprisingly entertaining. Rating: low +2 (-4 to +4).
The vast majority of employed people in this country have rarely, if ever, seen someone in the same occupation portrayed in the movies. There are maybe fifty or so professions that show up in films and fewer that have a major part in the plot of the film. Presumably from the filmmakers' viewpoint, other professions just are not dramatic. But, in fact, many people's stories are dramatic and they do take risks, have dreams, and in general have stories worth telling. John Turturro's father, Nicholas Turturro, built houses. In the family his adventures in that profession made interesting conversation, but could the story be transferred to film in a way that would make anyone want to come to see the film? John Turturro apparently thought so, and proves his point with MAC.
John Turturro plays Niccolo "Mac" Vitelli, a carpenter and brother to two carpenters and the son of a third. Mac's father is a genuine craftsman, but the three brothers work for a Polish builder who takes no pride in work and who looks for shortcuts to cheat the customer. Mac gets fed up and, together with his brothers Vito (played by Michael Badalucco) and Bruno (played by Carl Capotorto), forms a partnership to compete with his old boss. Mac has an eye for detail and assembles a team of quality builders, but financial problems follow and haunt him. Even worse, Mac's explosive temper more than once nearly ruins the family's dreams. The film also focuses on the private lives of the brothers. Mac finds a wife (played by Katherine Borowitz), but Vito and Bruno both like an attractive beatnik (played by Ellen Barkin).
While the screenplay by Turturro and Branden Cole is episodic, it is nevertheless surprisingly intriguing. In fact, for interest value MAC holds it own against films about men building their dreams like BUGSY or TUCKER, even though the main character has nowhere near the notoriety that Bugsy Siegel or even Preston Tucker had. The film has a nice portrait of an Italian-American family in the 1940 and 1950s. Turturro plays his role with an intensity bordering on over-acting at times. Still, this is an intelligent treatment of a story unlikely to be made into a film. I give this one a low +2 on the -4 to +4 scale.
Mark R. Leeper
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