This Thing of Ours (2005)

This mob picture comes with a high pedigree: Director co-writer and star Danny Provenzano (VAMPIRE VIXENS FROM VENUS) is a bit of a mobster in real life; he's pleaded guilty to racketeering and his great uncle is the prime suspect in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. In his directorial debut Provenzano brings gritty authority to his tale of mobsters using computers for the ultimate heist. Looking to "earn his nut" with the organization Nick (Provenzano) and two buddies orchestrate a complex way of skimming money off of the top of global online bank transfers via the Internet. Unfortunately they need to raise $50000 to get it off the ground and so they turn to the old-school mafia guys for the cash in the process dragging them "kicking and screaming into the 21st century." Naturally once the billions start piling up betrayal greed and a lot of blood and gunfire follow. The film benefits from a nicely mixed cast of fresh-picked off-the-mean-streets newcomers and familiar mob movie faces like James Caan (GODFATHER) Vincent Pastore (SOPRANOS) Frank Vincent (GOODFELLAS) and comedian Pat Cooper (ANALYZE THIS). The tough-talk dialogue is diverting with nice use of Tarantino-esque pop culture references. Provenzano infuses the film with a perfectly seedy ambience.System Requirements:Running Time 100 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA Rating: NR UPC: 824355516425 Manufacturer No: MAV-5164 Product Description

HBO-grade quality, niche market of organized crime

This Thing of Ours (2003), from Danny Provenzano, is a film aimed at
the niche market of organized crime. It has an HBO-grade quality,
meaning a step above a TV movie, yet clearly below theatrical
quality.

What makes this picture interesting is first and foremost, the fact
that it takes viewers for a ride in another time and space, and
makes them forget about themselves, which is an essential quality of
good entertainment.

Secondly, there's the soundtrack composed by Joe Perry, lead
guitarist of Aerosmith, with a cameo appearance by the bassist, Brad
Whitford towards the end of the movie - a plus for fans of that
great rock band.

Although successful overall, with a necessary mix of both ugly and
beautiful numbers (yin and yang), adolescent and mature, classical
and cheap pop songs, there's an ecletic mix of music that at times
has the movie over-indulging in a MTV music video style of
narrative. Also, the varied numbers may irritate a number of
viewers, from the numerous teenager loud-metal and dime a dozen
popsongs.

Third, the acting is certainly credible, and viewers will find
interesting some characters, especially those of Frank Vincent,
Vincent Pastore and James Caan. Unfortunately, a number of other
actors, although excellent in their professionalism and somewhat
innocuous on screen, are totally unknowns in the business, AFAIK.

Fourth, the script introduces the concept of old-school gangsters
forging ahead past the year 2000, with computers, cell phones,
defeating communication links based on coded algoritms of satellites
in orbit through hackers. The dollar amounts of $50 million and $1
to $2 billion in the heist are staggering, and questionable in their
realism. As such, it suggests sophisticated technology as the new
religion, such that even the FBI falls into its trap, as an agent is
caught planting evidence on closed circuit TV at a gangster's
dwelling.

Visually, this is a quasi-wide screen release, that is effective,
the editing very good, the images clear, with good zooms from time
to time, to stoke the excitement of viewers.

The first third of the movie seems to start a bit slowly, with dry
lines of dialog, but gets better as the story unfolds, greatly
assisted by the soundtrack that compensates for excitement, where
often none exists visually.

There are cliches, obviously (or essential elements) characterizing
this specific underworld group ...wine, spaghetti, gardening of
tomatoes, cussing, eating, lasagna as well as the selectin of
wise-guys by their external appearance, showing the techniques of
collecting money from bad debtors, victims thrown into the trunks of
a car, etc.

The downside of this picture, is perhaps the questionable graphic
nature of blood packs exploding during point-blank range rubouts,
which many will find unnecessary and distasteful, or the scenes of
electric shocks, intimidation, etc.

While this work is very professional, perhaps more could have been
done in bringing forward a few extra actors, big names that could
have brought in more charisma, class, realism and gravitas vs. some
actors with the tendency in being lightweights mixed with the 3 or
4 big names.

The outcome of the tale, is that ... even the best underworld
organizations show no gratitude for a few billion in profits brought
in by the 3 new members who masterminded the operation, preferring
to eliminate the risk of future stool pigeons by taking them out. January 28, 2008

0 stars wasn't an option so I had to give it one star

This movie sucked major @**! I hated it. It's the worst mob movie EVER!!! Don't waste your hard earned dollars buying this film. August 16, 2007

A great little film

"This thing of ours" is a great little film...Sure,the plot isn't the most clever or intricate that was ever devised,but so what?The actors,mostly playing mafia hoodlums ,are all stand out...And the film depends on thier interpretive skills rather than any unique plot or expensive special effects...Pat cooper,a noted ethnic comic,and James Caan,who played Sonny Corleone in the original Godfather make cameo appearenmces,but it is Frank Vincent,Vincent Pastore,and Danny Provenzano,among other less well known names that really shine in this picture... July 24, 2007

Couldn't watch it

This dvd FORCES you to watch advertisements when you put the disk in. It disables your Menu and Skip buttons. This is a really poor way to treat someone who just shelled out money for your movie. June 30, 2007

Save yourself the pain!

Wow, something smells really bad- oh yeah- it's this movie.

Slick box design and James Caan (why oh why did he involve himself in this?? Is he that in need of the $$??)

Other than these two selling points this has to rate as one of the worst vanity projects in the history of cinema.

The producer made himself the star even though he can't act. His two sidekicks are good actors. Big mistake- he should've cast bad actors to work near him so he wouldn't look as bad as he does.

Stay as far away as humanly possible. You've been warned!

Oh yeah, the same star/producer promoted himself as being supposedly "mobbed up" in reality. I wouldn't worry about it- by the looks of him he looks like he could hardly hurt himself... March 12, 2007

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