A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

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Title: City by the Sea

Date Viewed: 9/13/02

Details:

Robert De Niro

Frances McDormand

James Franco

George Dzundza

Patti LuPone

Director: Michael Caton-Jones

Score: 0

The Review: Police drama. While following up leads for an East River "floater," a divorced NYC cop (De Niro), with an even darker family history, discovers that his estranged son is the prime suspect in the drug dealer's murder.

Excellent performances by De Niro, Franco (as his son), and McDormand (his girlfriend), are the only reasons this movie gets even this neutral rating. The story is manifestly uninteresting, and though well-acted, the characters are not at all compelling. The strongest "character" is that of the decrepit city of Long Beach (actually filmed at Asbury Park, NJ). The city has fallen considerably below "hard times," and this devastation and reversal of fortunes colors (purposely) the entire family history of De Niro and Franco's characters. But to force the metaphor to the bitter edge, they are not bright colors: the spectrum is well-muted and dull.

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