Night Falls on Manhattan Review
Added 6/7/2008
Like all other films directed by Sidney Lumet, this is a solid, no-nonsense, intelligent police drama. In my opinion, Andy Garcia exhibits one of his finest performances in this film. Unfortunately, the 1.85:1 widescreen DVD is not enhanced for 16:9 TVs, although the picture and sound are of high quality.
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So Sidney Lumet can't only direct, he can also write. Night Falls on Manhattan is an utterly riveting legal thriller, but also much, much more. It explores the compromises made in the search for justice, and provides an eye-opening look at our legal system. Andy Garcia, Ian Holm, James Gandolfini, and Richard Dreyfuss make a spectacular cast for this must-see movie. And if you're interested in filmmaking, listen to Lumet's audio commentary, where he clearly lays out what makes him such a terrific director.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Got the DVD shortly after ordering it. It came packaged well and in perfect condition.
Thanks!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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The Letter vs. the Spirit of the Law
Added 1/8/2007
This is an overall enjoyable film worthy of 4 1/4 stars, but not 5. Never for a moment do I believe that an inexperienced prosecutor (Andy Garcia) can be elected to become the District Attorney of the entire New York City area! I might have a better chance of humiliating Shaq O'Neal on the basketball court. Nonetheless, this story more than adequately confronts the age old questions: where is the line to be drawn between adherence to the letter vs. the spirit of the law? How much slack can officials representing the state cut those who do not perfectly obey the law? Should we allow a relatively minor infraction to destroy a long and honorable career? Should someone be handed the responsibility to prosecute a suspect accused of shooting their own father? How much justice does an obviously guilty individual deserve? Utopia is admittedly not possible on this side of the vale of tears. What is the minimum, however, that is nonnegotiable? This film has some weaknesses. And yet, it will make you think.
David Thomson
Flares into Darkness
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Decent Noo Yawk Corruption Melodrama, But....
Added 2/23/2005
.....is Ron Lieberman the prototypical overacting DA in all of these crime and punishment dramas and who told Dreyfuss that he could channel Allan Dershowitz?
The Story: Two cops are staking out the most wanted drug dealer in Harlem--one ready for retirement, the other street wise and youthful. They are itching to get this scum off the streets and into the pen, so when their snitch tells them that the dealer is in the house they decide to make their move, search warrant in hand, guns raised. The younger cop radios in for back-up before the duo goes up. The dope dealer is however ready for them. He blasts through the door with a semi-automatic which riddles the old cop with bullets and finds an escape by killing two policemen with a silencer and stealing an unattended police cruiser...by the time the dealer escapes 3 districts of cops are on the scene.
The district attorney assigns neophyte assistant under-District attorney Andy Garcia the case to get this guy, because the DA figures it's nothing but good publicity if the son of the cop who got riddled with bullets try the case to get the dealer off the streets...good publicity could mean re-election (even campaigning for the mayor's seat) to the DA. The under DA does a great job of prosecuting the drug dealing and bests the Defense's Dershowitzian attorney, which makes him the 'it Boy' in the city. Because the DA gets sick, Garcia runs for the DA's position and he wins....that's when the stuff starts hitting the fan.
I know this is a story whose plot has often been trod, but it makes for an entertaining view time anyway; you DO get the feel that the makers really didn't know what to do with some of the co-stars. Lena Olin, who seems too mature to play the smitten lover role here, (but is still babelicious, dig?) initially comes off as someone who is gonna turn in the Garcia's dad because of that forged Search warrant, but she melts: Gandolfini seems like he's about to rat on his partner for taking some kick backs, but he ends up shooting himself in the head instead....their facial expressions didn't match what they were gonna do. They must've been writing script and dialog along the way...anyway you can get a load of Junior Soprano Chianese playing a judge (of all things) and a youngish Gandolfini playing street cop.
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Night Falls on Manhattan Review
Added 6/7/2008
Like all other films directed by Sidney Lumet, this is a solid, no-nonsense, intelligent police drama. In my opinion, Andy Garcia exhibits one of his finest performances in this film. Unfortunately, the 1.85:1 widescreen DVD is not enhanced for 16:9 TVs, although the picture and sound are of high quality.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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So Sidney Lumet can't only direct, he can also write. Night Falls on Manhattan is an utterly riveting legal thriller, but also much, much more. It explores the compromises made in the search for justice, and provides an eye-opening look at our legal system. Andy Garcia, Ian Holm, James Gandolfini, and Richard Dreyfuss make a spectacular cast for this must-see movie. And if you're interested in filmmaking, listen to Lumet's audio commentary, where he clearly lays out what makes him such a terrific director.
2 out of 2 people found this helpful.
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Got the DVD shortly after ordering it. It came packaged well and in perfect condition.
Thanks!
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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