Ash Wednesday

Plot synopsis:
Hell's Kitchen on Ash Wednesday, 1983; rumors are flying that Francis Sullivan's (Edward Burns) younger brother Sean (Elijah Wood), dead for three years, has reappeared. If he wasn't killed by rivals, then old scores still need settling, putting both Francis and Sean in danger. An upstart is pressuring the local mob boss, who's Francis's protector; Sean's wife, Grace (Rosario Dawson), believes she's a widow and has gotten on with her life, but Sean has come back for her. The parish priest, part of the initial deception, is frightened. Bad guys with guns are closing in. Can Francis get Sean and his wife out of the city, avoid a war between rival factions, and hold onto new-found morality? Will the cross of ashes on his forehead protect him?
Francis helps Sean reunite with Grace and his son, Sean Jr., and they head out of the city together in the back of a van, but Francis stays behind to stop Moran (Oliver Platt). The film closes with Francis wiping the cross of ashes from his forehead. When he steps outside of the pub minutes later, he is shot down. He dies and the sniper leaves the scene before the police arrives.

Tags: revenge, murder, violence, flashback

Review:
But I do know that most of you will enjoy this approximately 90 minutes of suspenseful entertainment, will recommend viewing to your friends and may watch this film a second and third time.
The story concerns one day, Ash Wednesday, and the events that happen on that day to two Irish-American brothers, Francis (Burns) and Sean (Elijah Wood).
There he's spotted by several people, including an ex-girlfriend of Francis' who wants to get even with Sean's brother for dumping her.In the Catholic church and in several other religions, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the period of time preceding Easter.
A couple more scenes of Ed Burns walking around the streets with that boring musical theme and I may have given up on this film.Elijah Wood was totally miscast.
A 6.5 - 7.0 rating is generous but I like Ed Burns, stories about Irish street hoods and a plus when it's Hells Kitchen in NYC instead of the Southies.
In "Ash Wednesday",  Burns spins a yarn about a Hell's Kitchen bar owner with a checkered past (Burns) whose younger brother (Wood), who's supposed to be dead, has been seen in the neighborhood (duh) giving rise to inquires from all corners while igniting the plot.
Burns and Elijah Wood play Irish catholic brothers- Francis & Sean Sullivan.
Burns and Elijah Wood play Irish catholic brothers- Francis & Sean Sullivan.
The film is set in one entire Ash Wednesday in New York's Hells Kitchen during the early 80's.
The film is set in one entire Ash Wednesday in New York's Hells Kitchen during the early 80's.
The photography was excellent, the direction was good, and the casting was inspired in some cases: Malachi McCourt (younger brother of Frank McCourt, of Angela's Ashes fame) as Whitey, and James Handy as the parish priest were both noteworthy, in relatively small parts, but that same casting was monumentally awful in the case of Elijah Wood If ever an actor was born not to play his part, he is that man This was even worse than his miscast in 'Green Street', which was so bad it was almost watchable I thought Rosario Dawson was good in a diluted, under-used sort of way, and looked most delicious in heavy makeup (this is set in the early 80's, remember), and even the man himself, Edward Byrne was believable in places (BTW, note to others-always refer to him as 'Edward'-Ed Byrne is an Irish comedian, which when reviewing this film could get very confusing) The only really obvious fault here was the woeful waste of Oliver Platt-if you can book talent like him, then you really should use him!..I had no problem with the linearity of the plot-after all, the whole film takes place over less than 24 hours, so keeping it simple was probably the best thing to do-and if you watched shaking your head in disbelief at the asinine stupidity of some of the characters, watch 'State of Grace'-an infinitely better film, also set in the criminal underbelly of Hell's Kitchen, the consensus is that these are stupid people doing stupid things Now the bad bit-and it's simply so bad it lets down the whole film, taking it from what could have been a decent pot-boiler into a risible farce-it's the dialogue-Edward Byrne is credited as the only writer, and it soon becomes obvious that this is simply not his field.
It's not the swearing (although God knows, there's enough of it), it's the complete lack of subtlety, double-entendres, jokes & banter-all the things that make up daily conversations When it's missing, you really notice it The only really believable conversations are those that Pat McNamara (the barman, Murph) has with his customers-and those may seem more realistic simply because they were ad-libbed Michael Leydon Campbell as Jimmy Burke was funny, but his were just comments and interjections-no-one really engaged with him The rest is just too awful for words (pun intended) And this makes the thing difficult to watch-you'll end up shouting at the screen , losing your temper, and not enjoying the film It's a shame, because it should have been such an easy thing to fixSo, I'm afraid my advice is this If you see 'Ash Wednesday' advertised in your listings, and you've never seen it-give it a go by all means, but don't say I didn't warn you-personally, I'll be watching 'State of Grace' or 'Road to Perdition' instead.
Leading character Edward Burns who directed as well keeps the ash cross on his forehead until almost the end of the film.
Now Wood is back to get his wife Rosario Dawson who has thought her husband was dead, part of the plan to make the death story believable.Burns is well out of the rackets, but in his effort to protect his brother he's being dragged back in.
Wood doesn't make it easy for him either.Ash Wednesday is a nice if cheaply made film about family loyalty and sacrifice in a working class Irish American family.
No comparison to him and Bing Crosby as Father O'Malley in another film which also was set in Hell's Kitchen when it really was Irish working class.Burns and Wood have good chemistry as brothers.
Also, great acting performances and/or screen presence by James Handy (priest), Oliver Platt, Malachy McCourt, Rosario Dawson, Ed Burns, John Coleman and Gregg Bello.A few drawbacks from not giving the movie a top rating: I thought Elijah Wood was miscast (although on 2nd and 3rd viewing I could accept him—and even got to like his performance—but it's the initial impression that usually makes or breaks it for a viewer).
I believe Ed Burns' character figures that is the best way to end a lot of things - people looking for his brother, his own 'fall off the wagon' of going straight, and the affair with his brother's wife that he knew was a low thing to do, given the fact that she didn't know her husband was still alive.
The movie features a great portrayal of the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, and it lets the neighborhood serve as a vivid background without making it such a focal point that it compromises the characters.
I think the movie's only weakness is Elijah Wood, wh delivers his lines like the third best actor in the average high school play.
Its nice to a see a person leaving to go meet a character everyone in the audience thinks is going to really reveal the climax of the movie and then get swept away in the "real life like" sidetracks that run us through everyday.
Without giving away any of the story here, Id like to say i applaud Burns' obvious conviction to the movie, at times it seems as if he doesnt care if the viewer is comfortable with unfolding events or not.
A good suspense mob movie is supposed to do just that, like that first time you watched "Goodfellas" and went crazy when Loraine Bracco and Deniro go for that walk that she realizes will certainly end her life.
Ash Wednesday is a story set in 1980's Hell's Kitchen, where two brothers, Sean (Elijah Wood) and Frances Sullivan (Ed Burns), are involved in the seedy Irish gangs that permeate the neighborhood.
While the overall appearance of the film is quite beautiful and symbolic (sometimes, too much so), there is not much to say for the rest of it.It seems as if the only character Ed Burns can play is himself and that the only schpiel that Elijah Wood can actually pull off believably is that of tortured innocence a la "Frodo" in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
To be fair, Wood is horribly mis-cast in this film, as even I find it difficult to believe that wide-eyed Wood is supposed to be a 22-year old murderer who grew up on the tough streets of Hell's Kitchen and is married to a much older-looking Rosario Dawson, saddled with a toddler.There are plot holes in this film that are big enough for a tornado to whip through them.
Hell, just going out in the neighborhood when he is supposed to be dead is idiotic).As for the rest of the characters of the film...I just don't understand.
And let's not get into the nemesis of the brothers, the "bad guy" that the audience is clearly supposed to boo - he had all the evil intensity of a paper bag.The camera work in this film, while innovative in some areas, also robs us of emotional involvement in a story that clearly depends on it.
If you are a fan of Elijah or Edward, like mob stories, Irish stories, New York stories, brother stories, or well told stories you will love this movie..
I went to an advance screening of "Ash Wednesday" at the Tribeca Film Festival, basically to see Elijah Wood in his first adult role.
That I did, but I was also totally awe-struck by the genius of Ed Burns--I'm now a convert.This movie is predominantly set on Ash Wednesday, 1983 (with a brief prologue set on the same day in 1980) in Hell's Kitchen.
It concerns two brothers, Francis (Burns) and Sean (Wood), sons of the late enforcer for the local leader of the Irish mafia, and how the violence of the past continues to replicate itself indefinitely.What I think Ed does most brilliantly (as actor, director, co-producer and writer) is recreate for the viewer the feeling of impending doom that the brothers have lived with for the last 3 years--always expecting (and never expecting) the bullet that seems bound to come.The film is dark and gritty and stylish (but never glossy) and totally captivating.
There's no sympathy for any of the characters - they're vicious murderers who are, at times, so stupid that it's a miracle they've survived to adulthood (i.e. making your great escape leaving your wallet behind or dressing in the coat & hat of the person every thug in Hell's Kitchen is looking to kill).
The rest of the performers were well-cast and did a spectacular job.It was a very freakish movie, filmed with a very gritty sensibility on the part of the director, Edward Burns.
I'm sorry to say it, but It looked like Edward Burns (also the writer) didn't take the needed time to go over his scrip and work out the screw-ups and enrich the plot a bit more.
This must have been the movie that taught Eddie Burns the lesson that casting is the most important part of getting a good performance out of your actors and making your story believable.
Ed Burns owns the Francis part and watching Elijah Wood play his younger brother is like watching a kid off the monkey bars trying to stand up to a high school bully.
The prospect of this matchup is like watching Dudley Moore and J-Lo dating.All of the other good stuff that is going on: Period piece of Hell's Kitchen, etc., is overshadowed by the bad casting decision of having Elijah Wood be Burn's brother.
Long, dull film with Edward Burns trying to go straight in 1980s Hell's Kitchen.
To make matters worse, his brother (Elijah Wood) is supposed dead after killing three men even thought his bitter former girlfriend (Julie Hale) claims to have seen him in a local bar.
Of course Wood has been hiding in Texas but is such an idiot he comes back to New York and immediately hits the bars, thus starting a whole new round of killings.The film has no life at all despite a good music score.
Edward Burns is at his brooding best and it's great to see Elijah Wood not playing Frodo!
I can only think that Edward Burns is a personal friend of Elijah Wood, thus the miscasting.
Initially i wanted to watch this movie because i am a fan of Elijah Wood and Edward Burns, the movie itself was pretty much predictable and at times i found it to be rather boring.
You know that because everyone is running around with an ash cross on their foreheads.The movie takes place on that single day in hell's Kitchen.
Writer, actor, and director Edward Burns plays Francis, a reformed gangster, who spends most of the first part of the movie chasing down a rumor that his brother Sean (Elijah Wood) is still alive.I thought I was watching Scarface.
Meanwhile in Francis' flat, Sean regrets going out for a drink after laying low for three years as the rumours start to take hold.I could have written the plot summary to help this film out but I'm not sure why I owe it that so instead I have delivered it as it stands  lack of internal logic, holes and all.
Dawson was the main reason I came to this film (sorry, but I would watch her in anything pretty much), but she isn't given much to do, although to her credit she tries to find the feelings that Burns' script doesn't give her.
Burns (or rather cinematographer Fines) gives the film a great look but nothing else is really there  the story only gets you so far and the characters are superficial and don't really have much in the way of development.
The camera angles and editing were engaging as well.The casting of Elijah Wood as Sean Sullivan did not feel right for the character.
This guy is a great actor-director-screen writer and has made many memorable movies, which keep bouncing around in my imagination like The Brothers Mc Mullen, No Looking Back, and She's The One.
I'm a fan of Edward Burns movies and I like Elijah Wood, so I went into this viewing expecting to enjoy.
In the end (and especially in the final scene) the bad qualities win and the movie leaves you deeply unsatisfied.Fran (Edward Burns) lives above a bar in Hell's Kitchen.
But the fascination didn't last long, especially once you realize that Burns will spend a lot of time of the movie running around town talking to people.
My only guess is that they must not "get" this film.I just watched Ed Burn's 2002 Ash Wednesday on the IFC Channel for the first time.
Prior to this viewing I had seen all of the previous and subsequent films that Mr. Burn had written, directed or starred in, and, quite frankly, even though I enjoy his work, I recognize that his movies would be of rather limited appeal to the general audience.
All in all a very satisfying movie, possibly a great one.Elijah Wood is a perfect cast for the younger brother innocent of his father's & older brother's deadly exploits, and who, in an attempt to save his older brother from the three men sent to kill him, sets up the scenario for the action of the film.
Oliver Platt and Malachy McCourt were great as the local gangsters that Francis Sullivan (Ed Burns) must appease, and each and every other actor in this film is put to good use.
A competent cast including Edward Burns, Elijah WOod and Rosario Dawson not to mention other smaller named yet equally impressive actors also cemented the impression that this would be a good film but at the conclusion of the film and its ridiculously predictable ending, i was left thinking that this was a potentially brilliant film but it just didn't quite cut it.An edward burns directed feature, "ash Wednesday" is based in 1980's Hell's Kitchen New York in which Francis (played quite solidly by Ed Burns) is a reformed man; reformed from the ways of murder and crime that is so common in his neighbourhood.
slowly but surely, through the weaving of time and the painstakingly slow emergence of dialogue, we are presented with the story of his little brother, Sean (Elijah Wood) who had somehow (not wishing to reveal here) plunged himself into a deadly situation where the local thugs of the neighbourhood wished him to be dead.
with sean's old wife being thrown into the mix and an incredibly weak allusion to the mafia and the mob, edward burns has really created a film without much substance whatsoever.elijah wood is seriously miscast as Ed Burn's little brother, Sean, and is completely unbelievable as a married man, especially betrothed to the likes of rosario dawson who could more believably be cast as his mother.
no disrespect to Mr Burns because it is quite evident that there was an attempt at portraying the love of these brothers, but when the likes of Good Will Hunting and Raging Bull have set the standards of showing the frailties of human nature, "ash Wednesday" was far from developing interest the way that it had the potential to do.however, excellent acting from a talented young cast as well as other supporting actors ensured a credible film but an underdeveloped one nonetheless.
good acting lifted it up, but the miscasting of Elijah Wood (as talented as he is) as Sean heaved whatever credibility the film had out the window.
however, i have no doubt we'll be seeing better things out of Mr Burns and, on that note, I look forward to watching his next film..
That's it?!" A good idea, but not for an ending to a movie like this.I would like to see better movies from Burns in the future, as he is not a bad writer/actor/director, but maybe not another movie like this.
Edward Burns' start in films with "The Brothers McMullan", heralded good things for this New York based director, who likes to depict his Irish background in his pictures.
The movie starts on ash Wednesday when Sean kills 3 local men who are about to kill his brother, Francis.
This movie is similar to most of Burns' films in both subject matter and directing.
most of the problems w/ the horrible script have been addressed already (my favorite is that elijah wood's character brutally murders three men and then is 'shocked' and 'surprised' when told that his father and brother killed people - yeah, ok).