This is How Movies Should Be Made

Sadly Over-hyped

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

I really wanted to like this movie. But within the first few minutes its attempt at being a film noir was an epic fail. The script read like a theatrical production rather than a cinematic feature. And every character was a cliché: The main character, Lou, is an aging mob soldier who requests a murder contract in an attempt to capture his younger glory days. Add to that his longtime spurned lover, his dysfunctional daughter, his young and innocent grandson, and the pair of big city cops on his tail. Not only were all of the characters a cast of clichés, but the storyline was as well. To add to it, every character had one dimension of emotion, which was anger. It gave the audience no reason to like anyone or remain engaged in the story. By the end, this film became a caricature of itself.

Lou Marazano, an aging mobster in Chicago, needs another job to help him get away from the city where he has lived all his life. The only way to do it is to ask Lorenzo Galante to give him some work. Unknown to him, mafia boss D'Agostino's trial is coming up. A few people must be eliminated, so Galante offers Lou a deal he cannot refuse. There are three people that know too much who are on the way of the boss' legal process. Lou's job, if accepted will get rid of the possible witnesses.Lou's life is not exactly a bed of roses. His relationship with Lorraine has seen better days. He has neglected her, so when he comes for her at the joint where she works, she figures he has changed. Wrong! Even though he obviously had a thing for her, he returns so she can be his alibi for the investigation that the police are going to pin on him, eventually. His estranged daughter is divorced, living with his grandson in the suburbs.Lou makes a mistake by sending flowers to the wife of the first man he kills. An old detective, Rey Berkowski, puts two and two together, remembering a string of killings that remind him of Lou's work. Marazano realizes he must act quickly if he wants to get away with some cash. Eventually, Galante and his men come after him. Lou is able to outsmart them all."Chicago Overcoat" is an indie that showed up on cable recently. It was a surprise for us, not having a clue as to what it was all about. Based on a story by Brian Caunter, the director, and John Bosher, the screenplay is a collaboration by the duo with Andrew Dowd and Josh Staman. There is plenty of action for fans of the genre. In fact, there is nothing new in the film, and yet the viewer is never bored. Part of the success of the film is the wonderful cinematography by Kevin Moss who keeps his camera absorbing the atmosphere of Chicago at its photogenic best showing different ethnic areas in contrast with the sleek skyscrapers.The best reason for watching "Chicago Overcoat" is veteran character actor Frank Vincent, who has been seen in many films and series. Always a tough guy, he shows a different angle in this picture. He does amazing work for director Caunter. The supporting cast includes Kathrine Narducci, Mike Starr, Stacy Keach, and Armand Assante, among the large cast.Although this is a variation on a theme that has been seen before, the film does not disappoint.

I finally got to see this (Let's just say it fell off the back of a computer) after waiting for a year because I am, admittedly, a Frank Vincent fan (we share common roots, and I got to meet him, nice man) and a mob movie fan.So what we have here is a well produced film that doesn't know what it is about. Mob movie, Conspiracy movie, semi-Action movie, Character Study, Shoot-'m up? I like all of them but not when they are put in a blender. It is a director failure primarily, with some good writing, but not much.Vincent is great as always given what he has. He wisely nuances his Jersey accent into a Chicago one without trying to go all the way in to play as a Chicago native and make a blatant mistake. It works. Kathrine Narducci is truly excellent in a limited role.But that is about where the acting ends. Aside from Armand Assante and Stacey Keach in cameos that last minutes and seconds, the cast in this is pretty awful. Again, this is in the end a director failure.Some of it is just silly...a hood with a record keeps a Thompson submachine gun in plain view on a wall in his apartment. Federal rap? No Problem. And he keeps it there for nostalgia for the old days...is he 95? The Thompson is Al Capone, not the 60's and 70's Vincent's character would have come up in.No, I really wanted to like this, but there is nothing even remotely new here...it's one of those annoying movies where you sit there and identify the other movies you saw it in as you go along.BIG SPOILER ALERT!! Do not read further before seeing!! Danny Goldring is absolutely horrid in this as the driven older detective. Just horrid. You clap your hands and go "Yes!" when Lou shoots him in the face and walks away. It is intended as irony...it ends up as just being glad somebody shot the actor.

I have seen Goodfellas and Casino and No country for old men and this genre is as watchable on all levels. I'm just trying to get through to people who enjoy substance over CGI and i watched this without getting bored and I recommend it. This is not your usual suspects, in fact with little effort it has managed to make Old men Dangerous and young people should remember that there is no substitute for experience and being 50 years old myself means I am like Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven, Very Dangerous because Death is not the worst thing that can happen to you and you can take your time which is deadlier than any young punk on a mission