STATE OF IS AN ACTION COMEDY CRIME DRAMA ROMANCE THRILLER FROM PHIL JOANOU THE DIRECTOR OF THREE O’CLOCK HIGH, FINAL ANALYSIS, TV MINI SERIES WILD PALMS, HEAVEN’S PRISONERS, ENTROPY AND GRIDIRON GANG AND STARRING SEAN PENN FROM DEAD MAN WALKING,
TAPS, FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMOUNT HIGH, BAD BOYS, THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, AT CLOSE RANGE, SHANGHAI SURPRISE, COLORS, JUDGMENT IN BERLIN, CASUALTIES OF WAR, WE’RE NO ANGELS,
CARLITO’S WAY, LOVED, SHE’S SO LOVELY, U TURN, THE GAME, HUGO POOL, HURLY-BURLY, THE THIN RED LINE, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, SWEET AND LOWDOWN, UP AT THE VILLA, BEFORE NIGHT FALLS,
THE WEIGHT OF WATER, I AM SAM, IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE, PAULY SHORE IS DEAD, MYSTIC RIVER, 21 GRAMS, THE ASSASSINATION OF RICHARD NIXON, THE INTERPRETER, ALL THE KING’S MEN, MILK,
WHAT JUST HAPPENED, FAIR GAME, I’M STILL HERE, THE TREE OF LIFE, THIS MUST BE THE PLACE,
GANGSTER SQUAD AND THE GUNMEN, ED HARRIS FROM JUST CAUSE, NEEDFUL THINGS, APOLLO 13,
THE ROCK, POLLOCK AND APPALOOSA, GARY OLDMAN FROM BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, TRUE ROMANCE, ROMEO IS BLEEDING, JFK AND CRIMINAL LAW, ROBIN WRIGHT FROM TV SOAP OPERA GENERAL HOSPITAL, SANTA BARBARA, THE PRINCESS BRIDE AND FORREST GUMP AND JOHN TURTURRO FROM UNSTRUNG HEROES, CLOCKERS, SUGARTIME, GIRL 6 AND GRACE OF MY HEART AND I RENTED ON VIDEO.

The Westies.

State of Grace is directed by Phil Joanou and written by Dennis McIntyre. It stars Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, John Turturo and John C. Reilly. Music is by Ennio Morricone and cinematography by Jordan Cronenweth.

Terry Noonan (Penn) returns to Hells Kitchen after a number of years away and finds his best pal, Jackie Flannery (Oldman), is a major player in the Irish/American mob being run by his elder brother, Frankie Flannery (Harris). With a love interest rekindled and a secret he dare not reveal, Terry is soon caught in a maelstrom of danger and tested loyalties.

It got lost in the slipstream of Goodfellas, but although it’s not in the same league as Scorsese’s critical darling, State of Grace is a splendid slice of neo-noir gangsterism. The plot is made up of standard genre tropes, divided loyalties, betrayals, kinship, revenge, rivalries, territorial machismo and etc, all of which of course comes laced with spitfire dialogue and sparky violence.

The strengths come with the performances of the lead cast members, the visual flourishes via Cronenweth and Joanou and Morricone’s classical score. Penn and Oldman are forces of nature, the former a ball of emotional turbulence, the latter a hopped up maniac with killer tendencies. Harris as the daddio main man is a moody and malevolent presence, as is Joe Viterelli as mafia boss man Borelli. Wright seems a little out of place in this material, Turturo isn’t used nearly enough, but Reilly scores well with a limited role and Burgess Meredith pops in for a superb cameo.

It doesn’t have originality on its side, but it’s a mightily strong film regardless, with the human drama drawing one in as the tech skills impress across the board. 8/10

This is a fine film. Loved everything about it!

Great ensemble cast, Sean Penn plays a fantastic role as imbedded mole unto his past ‘hoodlum’ friends.
Gary Oldman is outstanding with such intensity and dynamic manic character he plays.

Robin Wright plays the love interest, and you can understand how Penn fell for her (outside of movie)

There’s such great music too.

Brilliant soundtrack!

Merrideth Burgess plays a lovely cameo which must have been one of his last appearances on film.

The st Patrick’s Day Finale is beautifully filmed.

Totally loved the film!!

Seen it more than once!!