Yonkers Joe

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Yonkers Joe

R

Released Jan 9, 2009

1h 41m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

21 Reviews

49%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Master cardsharp Yonkers Joe (Chazz Palminteri) has a silver tongue and a miraculous ability to take even the most seasoned of gamblers for a ride. As Joe and his new wife, Janice (Christine Lahti), plot to take a heavily monitored casino for millions, Joe's mentally disabled son, Junior (Thomas Guiry), is released from a state hospital. When father and son reconnect after years of painful separation, Joe finds himself in a disarming situation in which none of his signature tricks apply.

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Critics Consensus

A solid cast adds subtlety to this otherwise schmaltzy and sometimes awkward gambling-flick-cum-family-drama.

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Leo Goldsmith

IndieWire

Mostly strong, that is, with the major exception of Tom Guiry's portrayal of Joe Jr. Painfully broad, Guiry practically sinks the film with garishly slack-jawed and over-the-top manchildishness.

Aug 8, 2009

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Lisa Kennedy

Denver Post

As Janice, Christine Lahti is the pivot between father and son. The scenes between Janice and Joe Jr. are sweet, harrowing, movie-altering.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 16, 2009

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Reyhan Harmanci

San Francisco Chronicle

Yonkers Joe is incoherent, succeeding neither as an exciting gambling ride nor a touching family story.

Rated: 1/4

Jan 16, 2009

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Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

It's far from a natural, but somehow, some way, it makes its point.

Rated: B-

Mar 3, 2009

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Gary Thompson

Philadelphia Daily News

Celestino's bid to wrap everything up in tidy fashion feels at odds with the grittiness of the film's first two-thirds, but in the end, the movie's glimpse into a seldom-seen slice of life sticks with you.

Rated: C+

Feb 6, 2009

Full Review

Brent Simon

Shared Darkness

Palminteri helps the film earn very slight passing marks, if only mostly because it's interesting to see these old operators have to adapt their schemes for new times.

Rated: C+

Jan 28, 2009

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Audience Member

Realistic and believable character drama with a lot of heart that has a complete story in the Dramatica sense including character arcs and growth.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I recommend seeing this movie. It is like no other I have ever seen.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

oh boy another movie about gamblers n cheaters

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Audience Member

good gambling movie+crime heist pic

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

Casino movies are fun. This one deals with the relationship between Chazz and his mentally challenged son.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/15/23

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Audience Member

Terrible script improved greatly by the unexpectedly excellent performances. I can't recommend it, but it isn't a terrible film. Just not a great one.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

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Robert Celestino

Director

Chazz Palminteri

Yonkers Joe

Christine Lahti

Janice

Tom Guiry

Joe Jr.

Michael Lerner

Stanley

Linus Roache

Teddy

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Synopsis

Master cardsharp Yonkers Joe (Chazz Palminteri) has a silver tongue and a miraculous ability to take even the most seasoned of gamblers for a ride. As Joe and his new wife, Janice (Christine Lahti), plot to take a heavily monitored casino for millions, Joe's mentally disabled son, Junior (Thomas Guiry), is released from a state hospital. When father and son reconnect after years of painful separation, Joe finds himself in a disarming situation in which none of his signature tricks apply.

Director: Robert Celestino
Producer: Trent Othick
Screenwriter: Robert Celestino
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Davis Entertainment Filmworks, Trent Othick Productions, GO Productions
Rating: R (Language|Sexual References)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 9, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.0K
Runtime: 1h 41m

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