State of Grace

Plot synopsis:
Terry Noonan (Penn) returns to Hell's Kitchen in New York City after a 10-year absence, where his unpredictable childhood friend Jackie Flannery (Oldman) is involved in an Irish crime organization (based on The Westies) run by his older brother Frank/Frankie (Harris). Terry also rekindles an old relationship with Jackie's sister Kathleen (Wright).
Terry is actually working as an undercover cop, and confesses it to Kathleen, who is reluctant to have anything to do with him after being told by her brother Frank that he is now a member of his gang for killing two people, although he explains it was staged with his undercover boss Nick (Turturro), firing only blanks.
Jackie is drinking in a bar one night when three members of a rival Italian gang enter. He snaps, and ends up killing all three for intruding on his gang's territory; he also suspects their involvement in the killing of his friend, Stevie (Reilly). Soon Frank is summoned to a meeting by the Italian Mafia boss Borelli and is instructed to kill his brother Jackie, who has become a "thorn" in "our side". Frank has told Jackie to lie in wait in case the meeting goes wrong and becomes a hit, and only manages to avert a war by hugging the Italian leader outside the restaurant in full view of his gang, causing them to retreat.
Frank arranges for Jackie to collect $25,000 after lying to him that the Italians are actually supporting them and that this is their reward, telling him to go to Battery Park. Terry tags along as Jackie's secret backup, finding that the location has been changed to Pier 84. As they wait at Pier 84, Frank arrives with his top enforcer Pat Nicholson (Call) just as Terry has stepped away to frantically phone his handlers to inform them that they have been sent to the wrong location. Frank fatally shoots and kills Jackie in cold blood. The police finally arrive and Terry tells Nick that he is quitting as an undercover operative.
At Jackie's funeral, Terry reveals to Frank that he was at Pier 84, and also hands him his police badge. Hours later, while Kathleen is watching the St. Patrick's Day parade alone, Terry goes to the bar where Frank and his gang are waiting. In a deadly shootout, Frank and all of his men are killed. Having been shot three times, Terry slumps to the floor before the film fades to black.

Tags: violence, neo noir, murder

Review:
Three actors were given that opportunity in State of Grace: Ed Harris, Gary Oldman and Sean Penn.
Oldman completely and utterly loses himself in the role of Jackie Flannery, a small-time Irish gangster that happens to be the younger, impulsive, reckless brother of the head boss of the Irish mob in Hell's Kitchen, Frank Flannery.
Every time it looks like the deal will go through, some member of Frank's gang does something stupid to insult the Italians, and each time this happens Frank is called upon (by the Italians) to do their retribution upon his own people.In the midst of this very dangerous situation enters Terry Noonan (Sean Penn), Jackie's best friend from childhood who is now a cop and undercover with the directive to do no less than take down Frank's entire gang.
However, it doesn't take long before Terry's rekindled relationship with his old friends and his new loyalties to another party become at odds with one another, and our hero soon finds himself torn between the two.State of Grace has all the violence, foul language and hot-headed characters that are part and parcel of this sort of film; but at its core is a very well worked plot, bolstered by some great characterisation.
He is supported by the underrated Ed Harris, who grows on me more and more every time I see him, in the film's most level-headed role - but the real star of the show is Gary Oldman.
Aside from being a great, dark film, with a substantial plot line and a GIANT cast (Oldman, Penn, and Harris), this is an Oldman performance not to be believed.
And, as usual, he gives a performance to be equalled by none.Sean Penn is marvelous, too, and Harris portrays evil incarnate.This film should be re-evaluated, and Gary Oldman should have received the Oscar for it.
(And this is not to shortshrift the incredible work offered by Penn, Harris, Wright, Reilly and the rest of this film's ensemble.) It's disgraceful that Hollywood can't think of anything better to do with this brilliant and courageous actor these days than 'villain roles' in big-budget comic books like LOST IN SPACE, but when he's working with material commensurate to his skill, he's without peer.
"State Of Grace" is a film loosely based on the story of the "Westies", the New York Hells Kitchen Irish mob that thrived during the 70s and early 80s.
Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth.Terry Noonan (Penn) returns to Hells Kitchen after a number of years away and finds his best pal, Jackie Flannery (Oldman), is a major player in the Irish/American mob being run by his elder brother, Frankie Flannery (Harris).
You don't need to be a film genius to realise the gangster thriller is as old as cinema itself, although by the Seventies, it was looking a little ragged around the edges.The Godfather revitalised the genre and then things grew quiet again in the land of wise talking hoods and their molls.Hollywood has always been a place where trends mean a host of movies with the same theme all opening within a few months of each other.
After body swap comedies and underwater thrillers in the late Eighties, the turn of the Nineties saw the turn of the post modern gangster drama.So we had a third helping of The Godfather, Goodfellas, Billy Bathgate, Mobsters, the sublime Miller's Crossing and one of the best of the bunch - State of Grace.The drama centres on a band of low-level Irish-American hoods who operate in the Hell's Kitchen area of New York City.
Yes, really.Before Oldman started making big budget confections such as Lost in Space, The Fifth Element and Air Force One, he really proved himself in roles such as this.A self-confessed alcoholic, he never let the booze get in the way of delivering a knockout performance - although by the time he made the dreadful Scarlet Letter, Gary decided to give the sauce a rest and concentrate on his acting.One of the reasons that Oldman is one of the most sought after actors in the world is his utterly manic style mixed with a conviction that can chill you to the bone.Although his performance here isn't quite as focused as corrupt DEA officer, Norman Stansfield in Leon, there's still enough menace in Flannery to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention.For example: There's a scene in which Flannery takes Noonan along one night when he burns down a construction office on a site that will soon be a yuppie apartment building.
This is not just a film for the lads.Ennio Morricone's haunting score perfectly accentuates Phil Joanou's direction and as the title suggests, there is a state of grace to the drama which makes it one of the most under rated big screen gems of the last decade.Written by Dennis McIntyre (his only screenplay sadly) and photographed by the legendary Jordan Cronenweth of Blade Runner fame, this dark fairytale of New York will haunt many for weeks to come..
And there is hot romance, partial nudity, deep betrayal, lethal weapons of all types and sizes, highly manic and inappropriate anti-social behavior, dark shadows, old rooftops, bad language, slow motion gun fights, fierce fist fights, yucky dead bodies, severed body parts, things blowing up, screeching tires, dingy subways, lots of alcohol, several funerals, a grand parade - what's not to like here?If you liked Mystic River, Reservoir Dogs, Goodfellas, Godfather I & II, and various cop & robber shows on TV over the past 50 plus years you'll love seeing this realistic portrayal of a little self-destructive crime family that could be operating in any ethnic neighborhood in any larger city at anytime in history..
Overshadowed by the flashier Goodfellas on its release, this dark, brooding and deeply-satisfying thriller draws heavily on Shakespearean tragedy, Catholicism and the troubles, as well as more conventional gangster thriller narrative to deliver a giant film that will in time hopefully be considered as the masterpiece it is.It is superbly made, lit and edited, and Joanou elicits magnificent performances from the entire cast but especially his three leads - this is Oldman's best work by some considerable margin.
It gets 7.1/10 on IMDB and only now the DVD has finally been released.This action/thriller features Gary Oldman, Ed Harris and Sean Penn in top shape.
Aside from Mr. Oldman the film contains many other fine performances from great actors such as Ed Harris, Sean Pean, Robin Wright, Burgess Meredith, John C.
Boy, does he ever get a chance to show the acting chops in THIS one.5) A fantastic supporting cast including John Turturro, John C Reilly, Burgess Meredith, and Robin Wright Penn who plays Penn's ex-squeeze and new love...and who in real life actually closed the deal and married Sean.
Also Sean Penn, Robin Wright and Ed Harris do quite well all things considered.However this film is very predictable, and if you put two or three gangster movies that you have seen together in your lifetime, you could probably pull this one out note for note.
Gary Oldman is definitely a great actor for this type of characters; he was the one i liked most; good friend, good and risky mafia boy and good brother, and with some alcohol problems, he performed this character with perfect domination of the role.
Sean Penn was great and he feels totally as one of the people of the real Irish mafia!; dark scenes, a great casting and realism is what this good movie have to offer.
But fortunately the movie restore it's pace and conclude in a excellent and thrilling way.ABOUT THE FILM: Sean Penn is Terry Noonan a guy involved with some obscure business and people who after an incident with drugs, returns to New York where he join his old gang of Irish in New York after ten years, he met with his old great friend Jackie Flannery (Gary Oldman) and his ex girlfriend Kathleen Flannery (Robin Wright), the Flannery brothers are a Irish family that dominate the mafia business in the area and are leaded by Frankie Flannery (Ed Harris).
that should give you some kind of indication of its impact.There is nothing here that hasn't been done elsewhere, and better (The "Godfather" trilogy, "Miller's Crossing"); Oldman is exceptional, but he's just left drifting amidst the movie's numerous dramatic and stylistic cliches.Sole interesting element in the film, other than the aforementioned performance, is its portrayal of the Irish consortium as a kind of working-class mob (as compared to the Italians)- but there's simply not enough detail to keep the film interesting.(Note:  composer Morricone claimed that his music for the film went unnoticed, so he basically recycled it for "Bugsy" a year later- and was nominated for an Oscar.).
With a superb soundtrack, and great acting from Sean Penn, Gary Oldman and Ed Harris, it was criminally overlooked on its cinema release.
The atmosphere of street life is well captured and in Oldman, Sean Penn and Ed Harris (as the big boss) you have top quality actors that can do this kind of stuff in their sleep.The end is a spaghetti-western style let down.
Someone will have to pay.A new wrinkle, no DeNiro, no Keitel, we have 3 rather than 2, but they are 3 great ones: Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Sean Penn.
Starring Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Ed Harris and Robin Wright, this film is a masterpiece that was overshadowed at the time of its release to what would end up becoming the best mob film ever made, Goodfellas.
State of Grace showcases powerful performances from Penn and Oldman along with Harris delivering one of the most interesting mob characters of all time with Frankie Flannery.
Gary Oldman's performance as the volatile Jackie Flannery is some of the best work Oldman has done which makes it a bit frustrating considering this film could have scored him an Oscar nomination if it was released at a better time.
Seriously engaging and gripping drama about a Boston cop (Sean Penn), who goes undercover and comes home (to H---'s Kitchen) after a long absence to visit his friends (Ed Harris, Gary Oldman) who are now in the Irish Mob. The film is extremely (and emotionally) violent at times and yet, it has a few opportunities to show some heart.
As it is, it's just damn good.A superb tale of friendship, loyalty and trust, Sean Penn and Gary Oldman are both absolutely fantastic, giving, for my money,the best performances of their careers.
Obviously, Gary Oldman in psycho mode is always worth the price of admission, but "State of Grace" also has Sean Penn going through the emotional wringer, and Robin Wright, Ed Harris, and an early role from John C.
Sean Penn, Gary Oldman and Ed Harris deliver the star power in this highly underrated gangster crime flick that was shot on location in New York City, and was inspired by the real-life Hell's Kitchen gang The Westies.
Sean Penn and Gary Oldman deliver unforgettable performances in this compelling gangster drama.
During his stay he starts to question himself and where his loyalty's actually lie.State of Grace doesn't quite deserve the rank of masterpiece like some other movies in the genre (such as The Godfather or Goodfellas) but its a damn good movie which benefits greatly from slick pacing, a compelling story, three dimensional main characters, and some really excellent acting.
I'll start with the positive, which is a great cast led by Sean Penn, and supported by Gary Oldman, Ed Harris, and John C.
An Excellent,Powerful,Underrated Gangster Film/Crime Drama With Brilliant Performances By Sean Penn,Ed Harris And Gary Oldman..
All of those elements make State Of Grace an incredible film that is Gangster/Mob movies at it's best.Set in the Hell's Kitchen,Manhattan section of New York City,State Of Grace tells the story of Terry Noonan(Sean Penn),a guy that returns to Hell's Kitchen after a ten year absence and gets back together with old friend Jackie Flannery(Gary Oldman)and soon gets into the Irish Mob ran by Jackie's brother Frankie Flannery(Ed Harris)while falling for Frankie and Jackie's little sister Kathleen(Robin Wright).
Unknown to the Flannery's,Terry is secretly an undercover cop investigating Frankie and his crew and Terry has to deal with violence,loyalty and betrayal.Released in 1990,State Of Grace is a brilliant and powerful Gangster Film that received rave reviews from movie critics but suffered from bad timing having been released right around the same time as Martin Scorsese's excellent Gangster classic Gooodfellas which led to State Of Grace being a failure at the Box Office and being overlooked by audiences.
The main characters in State Of Grace is one of the things that drives the film and keeps you glued to the screen whether it's Terry,Frankie,Jackie or Kathleen because with all them there is an emotional conflict that hangs over each one of them dealing with love,tragedy and guilt as well and even though you might not always like them or the things they do but the characters have an interesting quality that makes you want to know more about them.
The ending of State Of Grace is amazing,powerful and in my opinion one of the best endings I have seen in a Gangster film and so great you will never look at the St. Patrick's Day Parade the same way again.
Gary Oldman is brilliant,unforgettable and gives the film's best performance as Jackie Flannery,Terry's best friend and Frankie's hot headed Brother.
A great score by Morricone.In final word,if you love Gangster Films,Mob Movies or Crime Dramas,I highly suggest you see State Of Grace,an excellent,underrated and powerful Gangster Film/Crime Drama that is the Gangster films and Crime Dramas at their best.
Sean penn is excellent as undercover cop noonan and Ed Harris is another revelation as the colder than ice boss.If you like mob movies, crime thrillers, heck just watch this movie.
A truly first class job by Director Phil Joanua and leading men Sean Penn as Terry Noonan and Gary Oldman as Jackie Flannery.
You've got to give the best credit to the casting - Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright-Penn, Ed Harris, Nick Turturro - whoever did this piece of work was really ahead of their time.
Well, Ed Harris and Gary Oldman both do that in this fine film, which is a good alternative to the never ending heap of Italian mob movies that are released.
Oldman delivers one of his best screen performances as Jackie Flannery, a Hell's Kitchen thug, whose brother (Harris) is the boss of the local Irish mob (the characters are loosely based on people in The Westies, an Irish crime syndicate).
Sean Penn delivers a strong performance here, as does Ed Harris and Gary Oldman.
The cast of the film is one of the best ever seen, Sean Penn , Gary oldman, Ed Harris, Robin wright.any of them deserved to have been nominated for an Oscar, the movie deserved a nomination to best picture.
Sean Penn performance is masterful as always, his character returns home after ten years but now he has a mission, he is an undercover cop,soon he lost control of the situation when he is force to betray his friends, you can feel that in any second terry is going to going down..the scene which terry sit on the Kate's bed and reveal all his feelings to her ,is one of the best scenes in all movie history, you can really feel the desperation of terry, and the real reason that why he returned is because he wants to recover what he lost when he left..Gary Oldman performances is the best of his career, he is perfect, is impossible not love Jackie flannery.
Ed Harris is great as Frankie,his scenes with Sean Penn are full of tension, you never know what this guy is capable of to maintain his power...Phil Joanou at least on this film becomes in a master on movie making...Is a story of betray, love all surrounded by the streets of New York.
The first time i saw this movie, i missed the opening scene where sean penn meets with his contact before going undercover, so i didnt know noonan was a cop until he confessed it.
The Rooftop scene with Oldman, and Terry seeing Kathleen for the first time really communicated the feeling of Terry being home after a long time, and truly being HOME.Sean Penn and Robin Wright did a great job of portraying characters torn apart inside by conflicting feelings and loyalties.
In contrast Gary Oldmans character is also torn up in side, but he has no conflict, he is happy going right over the edge.Worth seeing for any gangster film fan if for no other reason than because it is one of the few that deals with the Irish Mob.
This movie is the rare instance where you will find actors like Gary Oldman, Sean Penn, Robin Wright, John C.
i  thought the strong, brutal and belivable performances by, sean penn, gary oldman, ed harris and robin wright were terrific.
this movie is set in New York, the Irish mob in hell's kitchen, where penn and oldman play gangster criminals who try to get more out of thmselves.
This is a very good film, with terrific performance from Sean Penn and Ed Harris.
And I think that the acting in this film is brilliant, you've got Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, and Ed Harris in their greatest performances ever!!
This film has one of the best star casts of the 90s - Sean Penn, Gary Oldman and Ed Harris in the same movie as lead actors.
Ed Harris and Gary Oldman play gangster brothers while Sean Penn is their friend who comes back to the neighborhood (though he is actually an undercover cop).
Morricone's score is brooding and melancholic and used to great effect in the final shootout.The film glorifies the Irish and their drinking and their madness and their rivalry with Italians and the writer also throws in some catholic guilt.At one point in the movie Sean Penn's character tells Robin Wright - "You believe...