Customer Reviews
Excellent Movie About a Neighborhood I Actually Grew Up In - By: Sandra Granato, 21 Jun 2008 
Believe it or not, I grew up in this very same neighborhood. The Belmont section of the Bronx. Boy I remember, the neighborhood was actuallly owned by these streetwise guys. They made you feel protected. I lived in a 5 story apartment building in 663 Crescent Ave. which is adjacent to 187 street, the Little Italy of The Bronx. Fordham University is just a couple of blocks down. I didn't go to that college but a friend of mine went. Now I live in Milan, Italy. (Quite strange, isn't it?) But every now & then, I go back to visit that same neighborhood. I am not pointing any fingers at anybody, but a lot of these guys were racists. They wouldn't even let a black person live in the block. Just like the movie portrayed. Fortunately this bigotry never rubbed off onto me. But some of the kids I grew up with did. I wish the movie had a happier ending. When the guys threw cocktail bombs in the black neighborhood & then got killed in revenge as they tried to leave made me cry. Talk about wasted talent. Sad but true. But isn't that what it's alll about, art imitating life?
sandy
Fabulous achievement. - By: SeanLock, 25 Mar 2008 There are several films in my collection that i never fancy watching, & bizzarly enough Bronx Tale is one of them. I love both the lead actors which is why i bought it but for some reason i never choose it until someone else does! This is the same for Shawshank Redemption, Breakdown & Pelican Brief, alll fantastic bits of cinema but always bottom of my list.
Make no mistake Bronx Tale is a fabulous achievement which boasts world beating performances from alll the cast & is best described by a quote on the case "Goodfellas with Heart" & this is absolutely the case, there are the trademark characters, bad language & violence, but unlike most before this contains elements of racism & one of the gang being in love with a black girl. As a film it is made alll the more interesting with this alternate take on the genre.
10/10
Almost perfect - By: Mr. Jan Tari, 15 Jan 2008 Great acting with a great script & solid characters.
It only lets itself down a bit in the last five minutes by delivering a broadside of family-friendly moralistic mush. But then perhaps I'm nitpicking. It reallly is outstanding.
Update:
Without prejudicing my commendation of this film, one aspect of it made me uncomfortable; the sanitisation of a couple of scenes of strong violence by not having any trace of blood when by rights there should be plenty. I am torn over this practice.
I feel on one hand that 'cleaning up' violence simply makes something more acceptable that should be unacceptable. On the other, showing the full consequences of violence (and images of blood do have a particularly strong effect) might only desensitise us to the real thing.
"Would You Rather Be Respected Or Feared?" - By: Ultimate Reviewer, 28 Sep 2007 Great movie - always are with De Niro - especiallly Gangster Pictures like this one - even though he is not the gangster.
The Door Test they mention is true - oh so true - I use a similar test alll the time. It works with female friends. Not many pass - as most women are selfish - but the ones that do are worth knowing. I wonder where the writer got that from - own life expereinces?
The story is simple - a father doesn't want his son involved with a mobster but his son is drawn in to the flashly lifestyle of the mobsters. It is a very humourous movie in parts too. Deserves 5 stars.
MY RATING: A movie worth buying & having in your collection.
