Search - Under Hellgate Bridge on DVD

A Must See Movie!!!!

webmaster@jordanbayn | 11/22/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Under Hellgate Bridge is a must see movie! If you like the Sopranos then this movie is right up your alley. Some of the Sopranos guys play it it including "Big Pussy" and "Uncle Junior". The movie was great, it had an excellent story, and I myself have purchased the DVD and will be watching it again and again. This movie deserves 5 Stars!!!! An A+ Movie!"

What to do with that ten bucks

webmaster@jordanbayn | US | 09/28/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Obviously, the person that suggested saving your ten bucks was reviewing the film according to the Sophranos. This isn't the Sophranos. This is an independent film that doesn't even have a quarter of the production money the Showtime series has -- and it turned out great! The actors and actresses in this film brought the characters to life, gave them a demension that people that literally live near Hellgate Bridge can relate to. They were real, not the flashy hollywood glamour characters that would have ruined this film. I say buy this film and some popcorn with that ten bucks and watch it just for it's entertainment value, not comparing it to another show :)"

Introverted obsession on the junkie lifestyle, limited scrip

Pork Chop | Lisbon, Portugal | 02/16/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"UNDER HELLGATE BRIDGE (2000), has only two redeeming artistic values,

the first, is the professional, theatre-grade wide-screen,

cinematographical quality and the other one, is the presence and

charisma of a few cast members, above all Jonathan LaPaglia playing

Vincent (a bit of a more robust Bobby de Niro or William Baldwin),

Michael Rodrick as the best of 3 junkie brothers, and Vincent

Pastore playing a muscle man in Frank Vincent's crew, going by the

monicker Big Sal.



It's a mystery why those big name actors associated themselves with a

work that is a non-stop, introverted obsession on the junkie

lifestyle, as a one-trick pony.



The rest of the picture is a let-down, for the simple reason, that

the psychological climate is unstructured, chaotic, confused,

immature, similar to that found in the old JD Salinger novel, "The

Catcher in the Rye". Indeed, several characters take satisfaction in

their own self-pity and perpetuating it over the entire picture.



The audience will forgive the author of the script, if the events are

genuine, and were lived perhaps by a teenager, or are intended to

educate that audience. Notwithstanding that, the entertainment is

just not there.



The set is too predictable as inner cities and run down sections of

hyper-populated locations are obviously, stereotypically associated

with drug trafficking and consumption.



There's also the business-side with a bar being owned and operated

by the drug kingpin, who keeps business going well, by circulating

the powder, and calling the muscle for those interfering or

dismissing the consumption as bad, among the patrons.



Although the acting is professional from several actors, and sincere

by all the cast, there are a number of emotional situations that seem

too contrived to be appreciated.



In addition, the music seems haphazardly chosen, random, eclectic,

incoherent, although it does make the picture more effective than

otherwise.



There's a rape scene, that is totally uncalled for, unnecessary in

terms of the ugliness and impact on the public who paid for their

tickets or DVD rental. Pastore getting head in the backseat of a

Cadillac or Lincoln is another redundant moment.



Finally, the drug burn, at the end, seems out of place, a

non-sequitur since nothing had built up to that scene from earlier,

suggesting perhaps more time in the editing room could have helped.



Not at all what was expected (a mobster movie.)"

Great independent effort

webmaster@jordanbayn | 10/31/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"For those of you who insist this film used the Sopranos cast as a ploy to get people to watch it, you need to take a look at when Hellgate was actually made. While it was released much later (due to financial reasons, coupled with the fact that it was distributed in-house) the film was actually shot nearly two years earlier. This just happened to coincide with the Sopranos' popularity, but it was a mere coincidence.Regarding the film itself, it's gritty, it's powerful, and it reminds me alot of some early Scorcese films.It is refreshing to see that this style of filmmaking still exists in today's blockbuster shoot-em-up digital crap films."