phenomenal.

film, as in virtually every film he's been in, was a thesis on acting. Sean Penn turned in a masterful performance that was complex and nuanced. And Ed Harris displayed his usual laser beam intensity. Everyone in this ensemble piece resonated perfectly to create this vivid story. I hope this film comes to be recognized as the classic I already believe it is.

subplot can be seen on each other, all coming together for one climactic moment. And the ending--I get chills from the music. See this movie. Then tell everyone you know.

this is certainly not one of his best, it does add a lot of class to the picture. I'm sure many of you will agree that the music is very reminiscent of his work in The Untouchables and even more so his work in Once Upon A Time In America the greatest thing Leone has ever accomplished . The recurring theme always stirred up feelings of nostalgia and a melancholious sadness with me, it quickly gets under your skin and stays there for the rest of the movie. It goes well with the themes of hearth ship and longing for the happiness of youth often appearing in the script.State Of Grace isn't just a run in the mill gangster movie with a memorable score. The comparison with other genre classics, especially 'The Departed' is unavoidable, and this may just be the right-after-credits-exhilaration I'm sure you know what I mean speaking but in my very humble opinion it simply outclasses Scorsese's latest baby. A huge factor here is the cast; Oldman delivers a knock-out-of-the-park performance as the greasy-haired nut case gangster and both Penn and Harris are memorable too. Being a huge Penn and Oldman fan, I can't believe I didn't discover this film sooner. Torturror's role is small so fans, don't get too excited when you see his name.State of Grace is definitely a genre movie, but not 'just' a genre movie. It belongs to the top of the cream and should be recognized for it.9/10

include John Turturro, John C. Reilly and the late Burgess Meredith, whose 3-minutes appearance is Oscar-worthy.Ennio Morricone's music is excellent as always. You might have noticed that he later used intentionally or not a "rehash" of the theme at the ending of "Lolita 1997 ".Cinematography done by the late Jordan Cronenweth , lighting and editing are all top notch. The dynamic shots most notably in the "waiting" scene and the excellent use of steadicam and slow-motion work great here.Director Phil Joanou did an excellent job and it's a shame he simply "disappeared".Rating: 8.5/10

friend Jackie Oldman . Frankie Harris , Jackie's older brother, runs the show in the gang, and calls all the shots. It was very satisfying to see Harris play a ruthless bad guy, as it's usually not his cup of tea. Terry Penn is torn between his commitment to his job and his feelings for his old buds. The Irish mob is in the middle of negotiations with the Italian mafia to make some more dough as well. Terry comes in and all hell breaks loose. This movie has excellent acting from Harris, Oldman, and Penn.....but for me Oldman steals the show. He's just crazy. Wild, uninhibited and completely convincing. The score in this movie is quite moving too, and really suits the movie. I feel this movie has gone quite unnoticed and deserves more credit. I can't believe it only has a 7.1 rating. I give it an 8 myself. Smokers beware. Have your cigs handy, because this movie will make you want to smoke a pack! If you like any of the cast in other movies, I highly recommend State of Grace.

film. Boasting a strong cast, director Phil Joanou's film follows Irish-American Terry Noonan as he returns home after an absence of ten years. He soon hooks up with his old friends, including Jackie and his brother Frankie; who is now the head of the Irish mafia. 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. The characters are the main focus point in this film, and it's through their motivations that the plot is allowed to move. A film that puts so much focus on its characters needs a strong cast in order to work, and this film certainly has that. Sean Penn takes the lead role and delivers an early version of the strong lead performance that would go on to earn him high praise from the critics. 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. This actor has the ability to completely steal any film that he's in, and he really does stand out here; delivering what is surely one of his all-time best performances. Familiar faces such as John Turturro, John C. Reilly and Robin Wright Penn do well; but it's the main trio that take home all the acting plaudits. Hell's Kitchen is beautifully brought to the screen in the most downtrodden manner possible, and the music and atmosphere combine with the shockingly realistic violence to ensure that the film is always gritty and unrelenting. State of Grace comes with high recommendations.

lost in the slipstream of Goodfellas, but although it's not in the same league as Scorsese's critical darling, State of Grace is a splendid slice of neo-noir gangsterism. The plot is made up of standard genre tropes, divided loyalties, betrayals, kinship, revenge, rivalries, territorial machismo and etc, all of which of course comes laced with spitfire dialogue and sparky violence.The strengths come with the performances of the lead cast members, the visual flourishes via Cronenweth and Joanou and Morricone's classical score. Penn and Oldman are forces of nature, the former a ball of emotional turbulence, the latter a hopped up maniac with killer tendencies. Harris as the daddio main man is a moody and malevolent presence, as is Joe Viterelli as mafia boss man Borelli. Wright seems a little out of place in this material, Turturo isn't used nearly enough, but Reilly scores well with a limited role and Burgess Meredith pops in for a superb cameo.It doesn't have originality on its side, but it's a mightily strong film regardless, with the human drama drawing one in as the tech skills impress across the board. 8/10