Brooklyn native Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers, Transamerica, Dawn of the Dead) has a dream-but he's got to risk his life to make it come true. To afford tuition at a prestigious Manhattan university, Mike takes a job with th... more »e local mob boss (Titus Welliver, Gone Baby Gone, TV's Deadwood). But as his assignments grow more dangerous, he learns the true meaning of loyalty when he gets some help from a very unlikely source. Featuring Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) and Sophia Bush (One Tree Hill), The Narrows is a gritty, real-life portrait of a young man torn between his traditional Italian-American neighborhood and the elite Manhattan world just across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Stills from The Narrows (Click for larger image)« less
Jennifer D. (jennicat) from ST AUGUSTINE, FL Reviewed on 1/31/2016...
Well, I'm not going to go against the reviews here. This movie was awesome! They casted it right. Love the twist!
Movie Reviews
Vincent D'Onofrio performances
Adrienne Montesanti | richmond, VA United States | 11/16/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This man is incredible. I have been a fan for a long time and he transforms himself into any character he chooses. I will never understand why this actor has been so under rewarded for his work. He says he doesn't want the leading role parts, but I think he is a leading man and would be wonderful as a romantic lead. He has only gotten better looking and deeper as an actor and he deserves better. This movie was well done and shows how easily one can be drawn into a frightening situation for a means to an end. The supporting cast was also very convincing without being overdone with the Italian ethnicity side of things. The language was very strong and that is not alway pleasing to the ear, but I enjoyed this movie anyway."
Great little story, good BD
Steve Kuehl | Ben Lomond, CA | 11/02/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a fan of D'Onofrio and was hoping to see something different for Zegers than those last two dark outings in Gardens of the Night and Normal - and was pleasantly surprised by the time the credits rolled.
The story follows our twentysomething (Zegers) as he lives with his crippled dad (D'Onofrio) in Brooklyn while working for a car service run by a small-time mobster. The only significant difference between this and the Heart of the Old Country (The Narrows) would be he has the added aspiration of being a photographer, which in itself sets the style of film making. That being lots of picture work being still-shot into the storyline and multiple lens colorings/scene changes, including black & white, sepia, chroma, yellow and a few others. The line follows his struggles with his dad, being owned by the mob, finding love, finding his art in photography - and staying alive.
The BD quality is excellent at times, mediocre in other sequences, but that lens change and digital camera feel were on purpose so I do not fault it with a lower rating. The opening CGI sequence of shifting from a bullet to a football looked pristine - nice reference point right off. The DTS worked fine but gets used very little to the outer channels. The amount of clarity degradations would normally make me rate this Blu lower, but it all serves a purpose and the majority of sequences show NY in excellent 1080. The supplements are thorough for a character film and include:
* 43 minute interview with the director and writer. Gives you some good insight into how this came to be - nice connection between the screenwriter and the book author (went to writing school together).
* 11 minute interview with Zegers. Seems like a good kid with a heart in this.
* 21 minute interview with Sophia Bush.
* 7 minute interview with D'Onofrio. Would have expected a longer cut but I realize he is all about the work speaking for itself.
* 7 minute interview with McGloughlin (author). Not his best location interview.
* Commentary with writer and director. ESL for Francois but he provides a decent narration.
All of the supplements are lodef and play individually (no play all).
Four stars for the film content and clarity, one for the supplements. Hope you enjoy a solid performance piece from everyone involved.
"
Definitely add this one to your D'Onofrio collection!
E. Wagner | SouthCarolina | 01/12/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Got this film because I'm a huge Vincent D'Onofrio fan. The movie stays amazingly true to the book "Heart of the Old Country." All of the actors turn in solid performances and the story has a good twist. Kevin Zegers carries off his part as a young man searching for something more in life. The father-son relationship is well played. D'Onofrio once again brings a third dimension to his role. Good movie. Great Vincent."
Different
D. Harris | 04/11/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"i bought this on the recommedation of other's reviews and i'm glad i did. i was pleasantly surprised. this was not your typical mob movie and i want to thank those people who recommended it. i only knew a couple of actors in this movie which was the father,the main thug and nicky who was killed from the series csi ny. i only knew them by face because they always have small roles. i had kind of pulled away from watching films about the mob because they had become typical and predictable but this one was refreshing. what can i say accept i loved it."
D'Onofrio is great!
Eileen M. Carlson | St.Louis | 03/14/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The language was really rough in the beginning, but the story got really good. There was some pretty graphic violence, so it's definitely not for everyone. The acting was good. D'Onofrio was at his best."