At Close Range

Starring:Alan Autry, R.D. Call, Candy Clark, Jake Dengel, Stephen Geoffreys, Crispin Glover, Gary Gober, Paul Herman, Mary Stuart Masterson, Noelle Parker, Chris Penn, Sean Penn, Millie Perkins, J.C. Quinn, Eileen Ryan, David Strathairn, Kiefer Sutherland, Christopher Walken, Tracey Walter
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

One of the overlooked films of the 1980s, perhaps because it is such a downbeat tale of an amoral family. Sean Penn plays a kid whose small-time criminal impulses are stoked to a new level when he falls in with his father (Christopher Walken), a vicious career criminal for whom no problem is so large that it can't be solved by a murder. At first exhilarated by the attention from his father (and the jobs he gives him to do), he gradually catches on to just what a bad guy Dad really is. But when he tries to extricate himself, he discovers that Dad now has him squarely in his sights. Penn is terrific in a role of emotional complexity, while Walken, king of the creeps, is positively frightening as this soft-spoken but highly lethal patriarch. --Marshall Fine

Description

A teenage farm boy looking for excitement finds himself on a collision course with his smooth-talking gang leader father in this "powerfully disturbing (Newsweek) tale based on the story of real-life killer Bruce Johnston. OscarÂ(r) winner* Sean Penn (Dead Man Walking) and OscarÂ(r) winner** Christopher Walken (Pulp Fiction) star in this "hot, horrifying saga of an American criminal family" (Los Angeles Times)! Juvenile delinquent Brad Whitewood, Jr. (Penn) knows about petty theft, but he wants big moneyenough to blow the lid off his boring life, enough to get out of town and to find his ol' man (Walken). He wants to be like his dad, a big-time thief, who knows "the business." Seductive and sinister, Brad's father is full of toxic wisdom that makes his illicit life appear eerily sexy. But when Brad witnesses his father deliberately killing someone, he realizes he may not only be in over his head he may also lose it for good. *2003: Actor, Mystic River **1978: Supporting Actor, The Deer Hunter

Customer Reviews:

this is not chopped steak........2007-06-02

even with Sean Penn involved, you will not be able to take your eyes and ears off the great C. Walken as he plays this heartless,yet intelligent and interesting creep. i am a huge Walken fan and this is my favorite role. he even throws in a little ballet move in a warehouse scene as an ode to his dancing days. if you have seen Walken's actors studio thing, he talks about the kitchen scene w/ S.Penn. It's Great. check it out.

BEST OF TRUE CRIME - Unbelievable DYSFUNCTIONAL family!.......2006-09-26

I love movies based on true crime and this is one of my favorites. The soundtrack is the song by Madonna "Live to Tell." It goes "A man can tell a thousand lies - I've learned my lesson well - Hope I live to tell -The secret I have learned, 'til then - It will burn inside of me." I always thought this song was about "a girl done wrong" until I saw this movie. It must refer to the relationship between Brad, Jr. (Sean Penn) and his father (Christopher Walken). If you think that your family is dysfunctional, WAIT until you watch this movie! Ooops almost forgot, Sean Penn looks great in a tight t-shirt! YUM!

Absolute knockout.......2006-06-05

Holy cow, what a great movie! I completely missed it until I saw it on IFC (I think), and just caught a few minutes in the middle out of curiousity. I set my alarm and watched it all the way through the next showing, which was like 2AM, it grabbed me that much. How did this not garner some awards? It's not even mentioned on Reelviews, though to his credit Ebert did give it a mostly positive review at the time. A backlash against Madonna/Penn, one of those Ben/Lo notorious Hollywood couples that fall out of favor? It happens sometimes, needless to say.

What also should be mentioned is the unique way "Live to Tell" is used in the film. It's not just on the soundtrack, it is the soundtrack. Having just a few chords from one song permeate an entire film is risky, and could be a real mess, but it works extremely well here. The song has been called "haunting", well that's certainly true in this context, it provides just the right note to the material. Outstanding all the way around.

at close range and to live and die in la.......2006-02-27

loved them. planning to do more business with you soon.

A tug-of-war between father and son in a small town with no opportunities other than crime.......2006-02-21

At Close Range, which is based on a true-crime story from the 1980's, centers on the relationship between Brad Jr. (Sean Penn) and Brad Sr. (Christopher Walken). The younger Brad has a mess of a life, has no direction, and lives with his mom and a boyfriend who resents her pot-smoking grown children. Along with his brother Tommy (played by Penn's real-life brother, Chris Penn), Brad Jr. turns to his dad as a father-figure for an intro to the family business of small-time crime. Tensions run high has Brad Jr. is forced to faced the true demon his father is, and Brad Sr. has no qualms about hurting or murdering anyone, including Tommy (the bastard son) and his own son's girlfriend.

The is a gritty movie with great questions about family ties and what to do with your life when you have no real options. Most of the cast was relatively unknown at the time, so check out actors like Kiefer Sutherland, Crispin Glover, and Mary Stuart Masterson at the beginning of the careers.

Average customer rating:

At Close Range With National Geographic

Manufacturer: Pbs (Direct)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

All | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

National Geographic - Emperors of the Ice
Nebraska: Under a Big Red Sky (Great Plains Photography)
The Desperate Crossing: The Untold Story of the Mayflower
The Photoshop CS3 Book for Digital Photographers (Voices That Matter)
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers,The (Voices That Matter)

ASIN: B000NA2780
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Description

National Geographic Magazine photographer Joel Sartore shoots in some of the most exotic locales on earth, often in wretched conditions for weeks on end, and always under pressure to produce worthy pictures. A husband and father of three, he often wonders if it's the best job in the world or the worst. "At Close Range" reminds us of where we fit in the cosmos, and what we owe to the next generation of all the earth's inhabitants.

The First 48 - At Close Range/ Murder in the Motor City

Average customer rating:

The First 48 - At Close Range/ Murder in the Motor City

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Average customer rating:

this is not chopped steak.
BEST OF TRUE CRIME - Unbelievable DYSFUNCTIONAL family!
Absolute knockout
at close range and to live and die in la
A tug-of-war between father and son in a small town with no opportunities other than crime