FEDERAL HILL
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1995 Ben Hoffman
Every big city in the U.S. has an area that is decayed, decadent, drug-ridden, and inhabited by punks. In Providence, R.I., for the past 50 years, the area is Federal Hill. Here you can find the gangs with their intense devotion to each other and their families but punks, nevertheless. When a film is made about them I expect it has a point (BOYZ IN THE HOOD). This one does not.
Nick (Anthony De Santo) and Ralph (Nicholas Turturro) grew up in Federal Hill. The only world they know is what happens in their neighborhood, what they can see from the top of the Hill. This limits their interests to what is bounded by their neighborhood and limits their horizons. They do not expect to better themselves nor, for the most, will they. In fact, they are drones, completely lacking in any aspirations.
Close by, but a million miles away in every other way, is Brown University where the rich send their kids. One of the students, a Senior, Wendy (Libby Langdon), enters Federal Hill to scout for some drugs for the Senior Prom. When she meets one of the Federal Hill residents, Nicky, she falls for him ... or so we are asked to believe by the filmmakers; a rather strong dose of incredibility for us to swallow. There is no chance that Wendy's parents will accept Nicky and how Nicky can ever believe that he would be is nonsense.
In any case, Nicky and his friend have been to long involved with the Federal Hill activities and no good will come of that.
A disappointing film.
Directed by Michael Corrente.
1.5 bytes 4 Bytes = Absolutely must see. 3 Bytes = Too good to be missed. 2 Bytes = So so. 1 Byte = Save your money.
Ben Hoffman
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