From this point on, the movie quickly degenerates into an amalgamation of situations and characters pilfered from such efforts as Amongst Friends , A Bronx Tale , and others. Ralph, the son of a mentally ill bricklayer, does his work by night, getting both his kicks and his income from robbing rich people's houses. Nicky, Ralph's best friend and cousin, is a small-time cocaine dealer. The interaction of these characters, which is intended to form the backbone of Federal Hill , is more than passingly reminiscent of what went on in Rob Weiss' Amongst Friends , a far better chronicle of fractured friendships and criminal appeal. Moments of originality are scarce here.
Character development is sketchy at best, with no real growth apparent in anyone.
With the exceptions of Nicholas Turturro, whose performance as Ralph is suitably manic, and the vastly- underused Frank Vincent, none of the actors excel. Especially disappointing are Anthony De Sando and Libby Langdon, who are frequently unconvincing in central roles. The supposed chemistry between them never gives off more than fitful sparks. In Federal Hill , however, Corrente's attempts to forge that link are largely unsuccessful, resulting in a bunch of small-time hoods who are difficult to care about one way or another. It's somewhat mystifying why this film has received acclaim at several international film festivals.