Staten Island

R

2009

1 hr. 36 min.

Crime

Drama

List

25%

8 Reviews

Tomatometer

28%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

After learning that his girlfriend is expecting their first child, blue-collar Sully (Ethan Hawke) decides to rob local mob boss Parmie Tarzo (Vincent D'Onofrio). Tarzo, whose campaign to save Staten Island Forest serves as a front for his illegal activities, relies on Jasper (Seymour Cassel) to make his enemies disappear. But Jasper, a deaf-mute deli worker, is growing old and wants out of his dangerous job. Sully's plan sets off a chain of events that quickly gets out of hand.

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Audience Member

The lives of a septic tank cleaner, an ambitious mob boss, and a deaf-mute deli worker converge in tragedy in this seriocomic crime drama from director/screenwriter James DeMonaco. Blue collar by birth, Sully Halverson (Ethan Hawke) has never amounted to much in life. When Sully finds out he's about to become a father, he schemes to rob Parmie Tarzo (Vincent D'Onifrio), a small-time kingpin who's looking for a way to leave his mark on the world. By saving Staten Island Forest, Parmie surmises, he can mold an upstanding public persona for himself while quietly eliminating the competition behind closed doors. That's where Jasper Sabiano (Seymour Cassel) comes in. Seymour may not be able to hear or speak, but he's a hard worker who knows where his bread is buttered. When he's not serving up bagels and coffee, Jasper is dispatching bodies for Tarzo -- frequently in Staten Island Forest. But lately Jasper has been growing tired of the game, and he's desperate to find a way out. When Sully sets his plan into motion, all three men find themselves thrust into a volatile situation that threatens to destroy their plans for the future as it quickly spirals out of control.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I loved the non-linear story, kudos to the first-time director to making it work. Unfortunately the movie suffers from bad acting (despite some star power) and cringe-worthy dialog, but the unconventional story makes it worthwhile.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ethan Hawk. Do I need to say more.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Mob drama that is average at best

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Unusual mob movie that doen't stay within the bounds of the typical mob flick, which wont appeal to the masses. Seymour Cassel steals the spot light as a deaf mute butcher with a heart. Love those glasses Vincent.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

boring... some mess in it... didnt like

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/23

Full Review

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James DeMonaco

Director

Ethan Hawke

Sully Halverson

Vincent D'Onofrio

Parmie

Seymour Cassel

Jasper

Julianne Nicholson

Maria

Dennis Albanese

Wise Guy

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Nicolas Rapold

Time Out

Rated: 1/5

Nov 16, 2011

Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman

New York Daily News

DeMonaco deserves credit for wanting to do something different. But what starts out as a witty tweak on tired mobster movies eventually collapses into those very same clichs.

Rated: 2/4

Nov 20, 2009

Full Review

Robert Abele

Los Angeles Times

The tonal idiosyncrasies may grate early on but things coalesce nicely until the whole thing starts to resemble a diverting short story.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 20, 2009

Full Review

Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

An invigorating, lively and captivating crime drama boasting a terrific cast, sharp dialogue and just the right amount of dark comic relief.

Rated: 7.75/10

Nov 22, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

After learning that his girlfriend is expecting their first child, blue-collar Sully (Ethan Hawke) decides to rob local mob boss Parmie Tarzo (Vincent D'Onofrio). Tarzo, whose campaign to save Staten Island Forest serves as a front for his illegal activities, relies on Jasper (Seymour Cassel) to make his enemies disappear. But Jasper, a deaf-mute deli worker, is growing old and wants out of his dangerous job. Sully's plan sets off a chain of events that quickly gets out of hand.

Director: James DeMonaco
Executive Producer: Jason Kliot, Joana Vicente
Screenwriter: James DeMonaco
Production Co: EuropaCorp, Why Not Productions, Open City Films
Rating: R (Violent Content|Language)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 7, 2013

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