Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Terry Noonan returns home after a ten-year absence. He soon reconnects with Jackie, a childhood friend and member of the Irish mob, and rekindles his love affair with Jackie’s sister Kathleen.
Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Terry: Sean Penn
- Frankie: Ed Harris
- Jackie: Gary Oldman
- Kathleen: Robin Wright
- Nick: John Turturro
- Finn: Burgess Meredith
- Nicholson: R. D. Call
- Borelli: Joe Viterelli
- Stevie: John C. Reilly
- Irene: Deirdre O’Connell
- Cavello: Marco St. John
- Frankie’s Man #1: Thomas G. Waites
- Frankie’s Man #2: Michael Cambridge
- Frankie’s Man #3: Michael Cumpsty
- Frankie’s Man #4: Mick Cunningham
- Frankie’s Man #5: Daniel O’Shea
- Frankie’s Man #6: Thomas F. Duffy
- Alvarez: Jaime Tirelli
- Stevie’s Date: Sandra Beall
- Borelli’s Man #1: Vincent Guastaferro
- Borelli’s Man #2: Johnny Williams
- Borelli’s Man #3: John Roselius
- Borelli’s Man #4: Louis Eppolito
- Maureen: Mo Gaffney
- Raferty: John MacKay
- Raferty’s Son: John Ottavino
- Bar Customer #1: Tim Gallin
- Bar Customer #2: Timothy Klein
- Matty’s Bartender: Jack Wallace
- Bartender #1: Frank Girardeau
- Bartender #2: Michael P. Moran
- Bartender #3: Frank Coletta
- Pool Hall Manager: Paul-Felix Montez
- Waitress: Freddi Chandler
- Police Detective: Tommy Sullivan
- Hotel Doorman: Ben Fine
- Frankie’s Child #1: Saasha Costello
- Frankie’s Child #2: Catherine Stewart
- DeMarco (uncredited): James Russo
Film Crew:
- Post Production Supervisor: Heidi Vogel
- Supervising Sound Editor: Dody Dorn
- Director of Photography: Jordan Cronenweth
- Casting: Bonnie Timmermann
- Conductor: Ennio Morricone
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Berger
- Unit Production Manager: Michael Hausman
- Costume Designer: Aude Bronson-Howard
- Assistant Costume Designer: David C. Robinson
- Production Design: Patrizia von Brandenstein
- Unit Manager: Randy Ostrow
- First Assistant Camera: Jeff Cronenweth
- Editor: Claire Simpson
- Supervising Art Director: Tim Galvin
- Sound Editor: Robert Hein
- Producer: Ned Dowd
- Key Grip: Billy Miller
- Set Decoration: George DeTitta Sr.
- Director: Phil Joanou
- Screenplay: Dennis McIntyre
- Production Design: Doug Kraner
- Stunt Double: Danny Aiello III
- Thanks: Donald Trump
- Camera Operator: Michael Stone
- Producer: Ron Rotholz
- First Assistant Director: Thomas J. Mack
- Extras Casting: Karen E. Etcoff
- Hairstylist: Frank Bianco
- Supervising Sound Editor: Blake Leyh
- Steadicam Operator: Larry McConkey
- Second Unit Director of Photography: Richard Quinlan
- Steadicam Operator: Larry Huston
- Set Dresser: Steve Krieger
- Still Photographer: Brian Hamill
- Stunt Double: Jery Hewitt
- Location Manager: Donna E. Bloom
- Sound Editor: Hal Levinsohn
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: David Parker
- Script Supervisor: Renee Bodner
- Makeup Effects: Robert Laden
- Art Direction: Shawn Hausman
- Construction Coordinator: Carlos Quiles
- Assistant Costume Designer: Elizabeth Shelton
- Grip: Matthew Miller
- Production Accountant: Matilde Valera
- Sound Editor: Clare C. Freeman
- Color Timer: Phil Hetos
- Property Master: Jimmy Raitt
- Music Editor: Robert Randles
- Special Effects: Al Griswold
- Second Assistant Director: Liz Ryan
- Sound Editor: Stuart Stanley
- Assistant Editor: Clare Larson
- Production Coordinator: Michael Boonstra
- Sound Editor: Michael Steinfeld
- Sound Mixer: Peter Ilardi
- Foley Artist: Elisha Birnbaum
- Production Coordinator: Judith Lyn Brown
- Special Effects: Bill Traynor
- Technical Advisor: Tommy Sullivan
- Second Assistant Camera: Robert N. Brown
- Second Assistant Camera: Paul Postelnicu
- Boom Operator: John K. Fundus
- Gaffer: Robert G. Conners
- Key Rigging Grip: Richard Murphy
- Dolly Grip: John K. Donohue
- Associate Editor: Judy Silberstein
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: 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
- Bazzjazz: 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!!