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A Bronx Tale

Play trailer Poster for A Bronx Tale R 1993 2h 1m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 36 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
As he grows into a teenager on the streets of the Bronx in the socially turbulent 1960s, Calogero (Lillo Brancato) gets taken under the wing of neighborhood mobster Sonny (Chazz Palminteri). Sonny initiates the boy into the ways of gangland life, in direct conflict with his straight-arrow bus driver father (Robert De Niro). But when Calogero falls for his African-American classmate, Jane (Taral Hicks), the repercussions threaten the entire neighborhood.
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A Bronx Tale

A Bronx Tale

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Critics Consensus

A Bronx Tale sets itself apart from other coming-of-age dramas thanks to a solid script, a terrific cast, and director Robert De Niro's sensitive work behind the camera.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide The Times (UK) A solid piece of storytelling... Oct 11, 2022 Full Review Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: B Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Todd McCarthy Variety A “GoodFellas” with heart, “A Bronx Tale” represents a wonderfully vivid snapshot of a colorful place and time, as well as a very satisfying directorial debut by Robert De Niro. Nov 26, 2008 Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media The decades have been kind to A Bronx Tale; years later, this is a movie that has only gotten better with age. Jan 17, 2024 Full Review Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies In stepping behind the camera for the first time, Robert De Niro hits it a home run with A Bronx Tale. Rated: 4/5 Dec 29, 2023 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy A morality tale brought off with a great amount of style and conviction. Rated: 3/4 Oct 14, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Christian K Well done when it focuses on the father/son and mob stuff which is all impressive from the writer/director/star combo of Palminteri and De Niro. The romantic story that doesn't pop up till the 2nd half of the movie is pretty bad, though. The lead is not the best but it doesn't ruin the good parts of the movie. I liked when the fat gangsters signature bar fight move was to squish them against the bar with his fatness. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 06/18/25 Full Review Deni B This movie was great the first time seeing it but the masterpiece only revealed itself upon watching it for a second time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/11/25 Full Review Mike V One man lives in the neighborhood, another man owns it. A devoted father battles the local crime boss for the life of his son. A Bronx Tale is a 1993 American coming-of-age crime drama film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut 🔫 Not bad, but not my favourite either 😐 Meh, it passed the time. Just. 😐 👍🏼👎🏼 Set in the Bronx during the tumultuous 1960s, an adolescent boy is torn between his honest, working-class father and a violent yet charismatic crime boss. Complicating matters is the youngster's growing attraction - forbidden in his neighborhood - for a beautiful black girl. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/04/25 Full Review Audience Member Some of De Niro’s best work Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/31/25 Full Review Desiree G A Bronx Tale is a 1993 film directed by Robert De Niro. It's available on platforms such as Amazon Prime and DVD. The movie is about two hours long and is based on a story set in 1960 in the Bronx that follows a boy named Calogero. He is having a hard time listening to his father, who teaches him to be disciplined. But then a local mob boss tries to involve him in more dangerous things. Now as he grows to become an adult he has to decide on which path he wants to take. The story shows how hard it can be growing up in a neighborhood where you are influenced by both good and bad people, and how important it is to make the right decisions. The acting in A Bronx Tale is a very great part of the movie. The main character is Chazz Palminteri, who plays Sonny, the boss. He acts cool and strong but he's also nice and protective in his way. You can tell he’s used to power and respect, but he has a soft spot for Calogero. Robert De Niro plays the dad. He acts very serious and quiet because he wants his son to stay out of trouble. De Niro is acting like a careful father who just wants to see his son succeed in life. He shows his love by trying to protect his son, even if it means being strict. The boy who plays Calogero stands out because he demonstrates what it feels like to be stuck in two worlds between his father and the boss. You can feel his confusion and emotions as he tries to figure out who he wants to become. His performance helps you understand what it's like to be young and trying to figure out right from wrong. The director of A Bronx Tale did a great job creating this story and bringing this story to life. This was also actually one of the movies Robert De Niro first ever directed, which makes it even more impressive. The movie gives a great understanding of both perspectives of Calogero’s life and his family. The way the scenes are filmed makes the audience feel like they are living through Calogero’s experiences. One great scene I enjoyed was when Calogero saw Sonny shoot someone, which changed how he saw the world. This was life-changing because now that he has seen that, he needs to figure out which life he would like to live and choose. In this scene, you could feel the realness and how some people just want to see you fail. It showed how fast a moment can change your path, and how important it is to think about your future before it's too late. When I was watching the movie I noticed that the way the visuals are, they're old-school and it gives a 1990s aesthetic. The colors aren't very modern, which matches the time the story is set in. The music also was related to where the characters were from, with classic songs that matched the Bronx and Italian-American culture of that time. All the clothing and costumes, cars, and buildings all match that period and help make the story feel more real. Also, certain lighting was darker for characters who were more dangerous and people with bad aura. That added a cool effect and helped you feel the mood of each scene. The production made the movie line up so well that I thought I was in the story. As much as we don't pay attention to the designs, they play a role in movies because they give movies a real and believable feeling, helping us understand characters and be in their shoes. The design made the story more immersive and realistic. Overall I liked A Bronx Tale. It was a great movie and kept me entertained the whole time. The story was simple and easy to understand. It gave me a different understanding of both perspectives the father’s and Sonny’s and how each of them believed they were helping Calogero. The actors were very good and always played their part with emotion and meaning. The movie was also not too long or too short, it was just right. This movie reminded me of my family because as I was growing up they were always telling me stories about how the Bronx used to be and how it used to look, and when I used to see pictures, the quality of the pictures reminded me of the setting in the movie. Watching this film gave me a sense of connection to those stories and helped me understand the culture and the choices people had to make back then. It was both entertaining and meaningful, and I would recommend it to others. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Audience Member I didn't like it... felt boring Rated 1 out of 5 stars 05/15/25 Full Review Read all reviews
A Bronx Tale

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Movie Info

Synopsis As he grows into a teenager on the streets of the Bronx in the socially turbulent 1960s, Calogero (Lillo Brancato) gets taken under the wing of neighborhood mobster Sonny (Chazz Palminteri). Sonny initiates the boy into the ways of gangland life, in direct conflict with his straight-arrow bus driver father (Robert De Niro). But when Calogero falls for his African-American classmate, Jane (Taral Hicks), the repercussions threaten the entire neighborhood.
Director
Robert De Niro
Producer
Jane Rosenthal, Jon Kilik, Robert De Niro
Screenwriter
Chazz Palminteri
Production Co
Penta Film, Price Entertainment, Silvio Berlusconi Communications, Tribeca Productions
Rating
R
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$16.7M
Runtime
2h 1m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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