Two Family House (2000)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Raymond De Felitta

Writer (WGA):

Raymond De Felitta (written by)

Release Date:

9 August 2002 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The only way to find out what you love is to risk everything you have.

Plot:

A dreamer finds that his wife and friends are binding him to his mediocre existence.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Tenant | Staten Island | Racial Prejudice | Guilt

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Michael Rispoli	...	Buddy Visalo
Kelly Macdonald	...	Mary O'Neary
Kathrine Narducci	...	Estelle Visalo
Kevin Conway	...	Jim O'Neary
Matt Servitto	...	Chipmunk
Michele Santopietro	...	Laura
Louis Guss	...	Donato
Rosemary De Angelis	...	Marie (as Rosemary Deangelis)
Anthony Arkin	...	Danny
Saul Stein	...	Anthony
Vincent Pastore	...	Angelo
Sharon Angela	...	Gloria
Ivy Jones	...	Tina
Victor Arnold	...	Mr. Cicco
Richard B. Shull	...	Mr. Brancaccio

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

108 min | Spain:109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #37166) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Spain:7

Company:

Filbert Steps Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During one shot, the Bayonne Bridge is shown with the Goethals Bridge beyond it, on the right. Adjacent to it, the B&O Arthur Kill Vertical Lift Bridge is shown. This wasn't built until 1959, replacing an older swing bridge.

Movie Connections:

References "The Perry Como Show" (1948)

Soundtrack:

Dot's Cheesecake

A wonderful sleeper you must see

I found this film by accident while programming my TIVO. The official description of the film didn't really relate with the story was all about.

This is fine however, as we don't want to spoil the wonderfully conceived character-based plot. The growth of the characters, and the realizations that they make in the third act, is stellar.

Overall, this film is a wonderful character piece that gives a glimpse of racial attitudes in the 1950's in New York (that don't seem so different from the attitudes in the 2000's).

The acting was superb and the pace of the plot was crisp. I highly recommend adding this to your TIVO play list.

As closing credits rolled, I thought that this is what an award-winning screenplay feels like -- and sadly that doesn't always translate into commercial success.