Two Family House

Starring:Michael Rispoli, Kelly Macdonald, Kathrine Narducci, Kevin Conway, Matt Servitto, Michele Santopietro, Louis Guss, Rosemary De Angelis, Anthony Arkin, Saul Stein, Vincent Pastore, Sharon Angela, Ivy Jones, Victor Arnold (II), Richard B. Shull, Nick Tosches, Jack O'Connell (II), Gerry Bamman, Barbara Haas, Marshall Efron
Director: Raymond De Felitta
Studio: Universal Studios
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Raymond De Felitta's Sundance 2000 Audience Winner is a sweet little romantic drama set in the insular Italian and Irish neighborhoods of 1956 Staten Island. Narrated with the conversational ease of a bar story, it stars Michael Rispoli as Buddy, blue-collar Italian American with big dreams, a golden voice, and a history of failed business schemes. His latest scheme involves turning a two-story firetrap into a bar with an upstairs apartment, but first he has to evict the squatters he inherited with the house: an abandoned young Irish mother (Kelly Macdonald) and her half-black child. Guilty over his hardhearted decision, he sets them up in an apartment and essentially adopts them. An unlikely friendship begins in clashes and verbal fireworks and turns into a gentle romance while Buddy confronts his own prejudice and smothering cultural values.

Amazon.com

Raymond De Felitta's Sundance 2000 Audience Winner is a sweet little romantic drama set in the insular Italian and Irish neighborhoods of 1956 Staten Island. Narrated with the conversational ease of a bar story, it stars Michael Rispoli as Buddy, blue-collar Italian American with big dreams, a golden voice, and a history of failed business schemes. His latest scheme involves turning a two-story firetrap into a bar with an upstairs apartment, but first he has to evict the squatters he inherited with the house: an abandoned young Irish mother (Kelly Macdonald) and her half-black child. Guilty over his hardhearted decision, he sets them up in an apartment and essentially adopts them. An unlikely friendship begins in clashes and verbal fireworks and turns into a gentle romance while Buddy confronts his own prejudice and smothering cultural values.

De Felitta is uncharacteristically generous to both his clannish working-class chorus and Buddy's wife Estelle (Kathrine Narducci, from The Sopranos), who undermines her spouse's efforts and ridicules his ambition out of sheer conformism. Rispoli, by contrast, is accepting and warm as a guy hungry for his piece of the American dream, and Macdonald's scrappy single mom is full of Irish dander that melts into a romantic sparkle and loving support. Two Family House is inspired by the true story of writer-director De Felitta's uncle, and there's an engaging modesty and loving understanding in this portrait of one man's rebellion against the stifling values and judgmental intolerance of his community. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews:

A Walk Down Memory Lane.......2007-05-13

I loved this movie. As an Italian American growing up in the 50's and 60's it was a walk down memory lane.

A heartwarming film.......2007-05-08

This film takes place on Staten island in the late 1950s. It examines the story of an Italian family, Buddy and Estelle, and the way their lives affect an Irish woman whose husband has left her due to her having a black son. It is a funny film, heartwarming and cute, slightly slow moving, with wonderful vignettes of the 1950s and the ethnic mish-mash of New York in that period.

Buddy is a down on his luck workman who has always dreamed big. But his businesses have failed: pizza backing, limosine service and finally he has decided to make his house into a bar. It turns out the house is inhabited by an Irish couple, of whome the husband is an abusive drunkard and the wife turns out to have been pregnant with someone elses baby. The movie is narrated by the now grown up baby, and follows the interactions, hardships and joys of these people and their community.

Wonderful stuff,
Seth J. Frantzman

A movie about acceptance and Love.......2006-07-04

This was really a beautiful movie about a working class guy (Buddy) from a close knit Italian neighborhood. He gives up an opportunity to become a singer (his dream) to marry a shrewish woman who has no faith in him or his dreams. Fate causes Buddy to cross paths with a young Irish woman who gives birth to a bi racial baby while married to an older irish drunk. keep in mind, this was the 1950s and in Staten Island As time goes on, Buddy falls in love with this fiery, but loyal young woman (Mary) and eventually marries her and takes on the rearing (and loving) of her baby.The affection that the baby had for Buddy shows clearly that was not only was Buddy kind, but strong. In the end you see that Buddy's friends abd family had abandoned him because of his love for Mary and her son.

Little known GEM!.......2005-09-18

This is one of those rare movies that stays with you long after you've seen it. I watched this on cable and the next day had to buy the DVD. Excellent potrayals all around with story that tugs at your heartstrings. Well written and very well acted. And it really goes to show you, forget what people think about your dreams! Live your life! If you want a really good movie then this will not disappoint!

A Magical True life Story.......2005-09-17

As a movie fan, every once in awhile, I surprise myself by finding a small, unknown, cinematic treasure, that is truely an enjoyable experience. This seems to be the case, when one night at a sleepless 2am, I found the wonderfully, nostalgic drama, "Two family House" on HBO. There is no big budget, ego filled superstar actors, over done special effects or loud explosions. All this film seems to offer up is a moving script and fine, nuanced performances from the actors. "Two Family House" takes place in a working class, Italian neighborhood of 1950's Staten Island. Buddy Visalo (Michael Rispoli) is a little guy with big dreams and a plan to fulfill them. He wants to own a bar and fulfill his aspirations of singing in front of an audience. His plan is to buy a two family home, construct and build the bar on the bottom and rent out the second floor to borders to make the venture pay for itself. Unfortunately, his wife, Estelle (Katherine Narducci) dosn't share in his dreams, nor does she have any confidence in her husband being successful at anything. This is a women, who is deeply afraid of being made a laughing stock and is almost obsessed with conforming to the social standards of the neighborhood and community. All is going to plan, until the appearance of the upstairs renters, a married Irish couple expecting a baby. The Irish women, Mary (Kelly Macdonald) gives birth to a mixed-race child. She is subsequently abandoned by her husband and thrown out of the house by Buddy and an insistant, Estelle. Feeling guilty, Buddy secretly helps Mary out and soon a relationship transpires. Mary, a tough and very proud women, turns out to believe in Buddy and his dreams. She helps him realize, what is holding him back in achieving them. It is through his love for her, that Buddy realizes "who his jailers are" and how to really change his life. Writer/Director, Raymond De Felitta has created a moving film, with an almost magical tone, based on the true life story of his relatives. This is a smart script about working class people, who share complex emotions. It would be easy for the script to fall into using lazy stereotypes of these people. Instead we get three in-depth character studies of what makes these folks tick. This is especially effective becuase of the great performances, that come from a vey talented cast. All three of the lead actors just make their roles come alive with wonderfully nuanced readings, that brings out both the joy and sorrow that these characters experience. We get to really understand why these people make the descions they make. Finally, mention should be made of the splendid original music soundtrack by Composer, Stephen Endelman. He does a great job of nostalgicaly evoking both the time period and setting of the film. For an evening of wonderful drama, I highly recommend "Two family House".

Average customer rating:

A Walk Down Memory Lane
A heartwarming film
A movie about acceptance and Love
Little known GEM!
A Magical True life Story

Two Family House
Starring: Michael Rispoli , Kelly Macdonald , Kathrine Narducci , Kevin Conway , and Matt Servitto
Director: Raymond De Felitta
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009MEBQ
Release Date: 2003-07-22

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Customer Reviews:

A Walk Down Memory Lane.......2007-05-13

I loved this movie. As an Italian American growing up in the 50's and 60's it was a walk down memory lane.

A heartwarming film.......2007-05-08

A movie about acceptance and Love.......2006-07-04

Little known GEM!.......2005-09-18

A Magical True life Story.......2005-09-17

Average customer rating:

Two Soldiers
Starring: David Andrews , Ron Perlman , and Deacon Dawson
Director: Aaron Schneider
Manufacturer: Westlake Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Drama | Military & War | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B000LC4WPQ
Release Date: 2007-05-22

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