| WELCOME
TO COLLINWOOD Rating:  Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Producers: Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney Writer: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Director of Photography: Charles Minsky, Lisa Rinzler Cast: William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter, Luis Guzmán, Patricia Clarkson, Andrew Davoli, Jennifer Esposito, Gabrielle Union Visit the IMDB page for full cast and crew |
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Review by: Curtis
Raines
10/06/02
Every once in a while you go into a movie expecting nothing more than to spend nine bucks and see a couple of good previews. So, you sit there with your fourteen dollar bag of popcorn, rudely put your feet up on the seat in front of you and cross your fingers in hopes that you'll be somewhat entertained. And taking in the list of this year's movies, those chances are highly unlikely.
Ah, but what happens. The curtain opens, the talking in the theater ceases and the next thing you know you are completely engrossed in what you are viewing. Rapped up in every scene that flashes before you. And suddenly that bag of popcorn is the best bargain in town. That watered down coke has never tasted better and those hostile voices in your head slowly fade away -- oops -- strike that last part, will ya?
After a summer filled with bust after bust, I felt completely rejuvenated after watching Joe and Anthony Russo's Welcome to Collinwood. From start to finish, there wasn't one point in which I wasn't thoroughly entertained. It's amazing how sometimes the most unknown cast can make the best one. Sure, we all know William H. Macy and are becoming familiar with Luis Guzman (Boogie Nights, Carlito's Way), but outdoing them, and hopefully drawing some Oscar consideration is Sam Rockwell (Box of Moonlight). In possibly the best performance I've seen all year, Rockwell plays a bonehead street thief named Pero. Pero is a unique character in that everything he does is dishonest and wrong yet we still find ourselves rooting for him.
Pero and his collection of misfits get let in on a jewelry heist that is the mother of all heist jobs. This is it, their so-called chance to escape their miserable existences and pursue a life away from the dregs of Collinwood. Now, I'll be honest -- as far as plot goes, that's pretty much sums it up. There is however a touching subplot involving Pero and an immigrant maid (Jennifer Esposito). This lets Joe and Anthony Russo explore the other side of Sam Rockwell's character (one of the best-written characters in a while), enabling him to display his range as a serious and comedic actor.
The writing in this movie literally blew me away. The Russo's ability to create characters is something to marvel. Now I'm a big sucker for ensemble pieces (Boogie Nights, The Royal Tenenbaums), but one thing I've noticed about most is that maybe one or two characters are well developed and the rest are used as compliments. But each character in Welcome to Collinwood has distinguishable traits that help the audience identify their personalities. This adds to the comedy as they play off each other perfectly. And I'm not a big fan of physical comedy, but somehow Joe and Anthony Russo make it work. You couldn't ask for a more fitting cast that even included an unforgettable cameo by producer George Clooney as a shell-shocked safe cracker.
Welcome to Collinwood isn't going to sweep you away with its star-studded cast or it's high budget special effects. But what will, is watching five naive street bums do all they can to better their lives; watching them discover something in their life that they thought contained nothing. They don't have the smarts, charisma or tenacity to pull off this heist, but they're just desperate enough to try.
So, go see this movie immediately. Seriously, go now. What part of "See this movie immediately" don't you understand? Stop reading this... GO!!!
(A Warner Bros. Films release. Opened
October 4 in limited release.)
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