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City by the Sea

Play trailer Poster for City by the Sea R 2002 1h 48m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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49% Tomatometer 142 Reviews 40% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
When a respected New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro) discovers the prime suspect in a murder case is his estranged son (James Franco), he is forced to return home to the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach, Long Island to confront the darkness of his past. During the course of the investigation, he realizes that his failures as a father - and his unresolved anguish about the painful estrangement - have deeply influenced his son's life.
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City by the Sea

City by the Sea

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Critics Consensus

Even though the movie is well acted, it sinks under an abundance of melodrama and cliches.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/22/2010
3/5
Ambitious, improbable and very violent cop drama. Go to Full Review
Sara Michelle Fetters MovieFreak.com 06/19/2003
2.5/4
It doesn't help that much of City by the Sea plays so precisely lock step in the same order as so many other policiers. It's difficult to muster up much excitement as the film lurches to its pre-ordained conclusion. Go to Full Review
Nev Pierce BBC.com 10/07/2002
4/5
Sombre, unpretentious and quietly moving. Go to Full Review
Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News 11/15/2019
It all adds up to a moving film that may not be unforgettable, but it is memorable nonetheless. Go to Full Review
Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 01/04/2013
C
Felix Vasquez Jr. Cinema Crazed 04/29/2009
It's a shame that the source material and filmmakers manage to waste all the talented actors in this project. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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AD 3 Dec 11 I like Deniro but the rest of the movie is sort of corny and not executed well. It has big ideas but just isnt realistic, especislly the dialouge. Everybody harps on the father for running out on his family or whatever but then you consider this culture and it's hardly unique. Again, I get it but it just wasn't executed well nor were any hardcore details realistic. I kinda felt like the filmmaker was in over his head See more Tony M 08/31/2023 I really like this lesser known DeNiro flick. I like the story and the acting. A good movie that's well worth a watch. See more Jeffrey P 06/26/2023 Not quite sure why this was so buried that I didn't hear about it until 2023. Main fault that comes to mind is that the son should have been the lead and not the father. Regardless, I felt it was a solid enough story with decent acting that mostly rings true before the dramatic flare ending. See more Ashley H @ashleyhobgood87 06/04/2023 City By The Sea is a disappointing film. It is about a respected New York homicide detective who discovers the prime suspect in a murder case is his estranged son. Robert de Niro and James Franco give horrible performances. The script is badly written. Michael Caton-Jones did a terrible directing this movie. I was not impressed with this motion picture. See more Jelisije J 05/12/2023 A movie that deals with the trial of fatherhood and abandonment. See more 01/26/2022 Under the radar cop drama with a good, understated performance from De Niro. See more Read all reviews
City by the Sea

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Movie Info

Synopsis When a respected New York homicide detective (Robert De Niro) discovers the prime suspect in a murder case is his estranged son (James Franco), he is forced to return home to the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach, Long Island to confront the darkness of his past. During the course of the investigation, he realizes that his failures as a father - and his unresolved anguish about the painful estrangement - have deeply influenced his son's life.
Director
Michael Caton-Jones
Producer
Michael Caton-Jones, Brad Grey, Elie Samaha, Matthew Baer
Screenwriter
Ken Hixon, Michael Caton-Jones
Distributor
Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co
Franchise Pictures, Brillstein-Grey Entertainment, Sea Breeze Productions Inc.
Rating
R (Language|Drug Use|Some Violence)
Genre
Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 6, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.4M
Runtime
1h 48m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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