By: debbie lynn elias
There is really nothing more peaceful or beautiful within these United States than small, obscure little towns nestled on coastlines, burrowed along lakes, hidden among wooded hills or secreted along sandy dunes. And while the world has gone on and progressed and moved and shaked, in these quiet and quaint little hamlets time has stood still, creating a welcome oasis from the hustle and bustle of life, a place to raise your children, to live in the same house your grandfather built, to know your neighbors, to not lock your doors and to enjoy a life that harkens to days of old. CITY ISLAND, a New Englandesque fishing village located in the Bronx on Long Island Sound is one such oasis and, in fact, is such a secret that even seasoned New Yorkers are unaware of its existence. But now, thanks to the wit and artful eye of writer/director Raymond DeFelitta and the incredible talents of Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Ezra Miller and Dominik Garcia-Lorido, the whole world can now experience the joy and wonder of CITY ISLAND.
Among the residents in CITY ISLAND are the Rizzos. A proud Italian family with generations of history in this little enclave, family patriarch Vince is most proud of being a “clamdigger” – someone born and bred in City Island – as opposed to being a “muscle shucker” – someone who moves into City Island. He lives in the house his grandfather built with his very own hands. A corrections officer at a high security prison in New York, Vince is married to the beautiful and fiery Joyce. With some 20+ years together, the two know everything there is to know about each other – or so they think. They have two lovely children; Vince, Jr., who has an obsession with internet porn involving feeding fat women, and Vivian, the apple of daddy’s eye, attending college on a full scholarship. And of course, as with all parents, Vinnie and Joyce also believe they know everything there is to know about their children. Fat chance, guys! And as with all families, the Rizzos have their ups and downs. Dysfunction in every direction, parents whose fiery Italian tempers flare at the slightest “unintentional” nudge, and secrets – boy do they have secrets!
With Spring Break upon them, Vince is overjoyed at the thought of his daughter coming home for a week. Joyce, a lonely housewife but content and accepting in her marriage with Vince, is thrilled to have someone to shop and hang out with, yet enraged that Vince believes attending his weekly poker game is more important than being with the family to go out and celebrate his daughter’s return home. Vince wants Joyce to make a “nice, big home-cooked family dinner”, like “[I] don’t do that every night.” Ouch! But on top of the parental jabs, something seems amiss with Vivian that Vince just can’t put his finger on, while Vinnie, Jr. just goes with the flow of tormenting his older sister and parents complete with name calling, yelling, food throwing, getting high unbeknownst to mom and dat – you know, normal family stuff with an underlying tension and fear as each is afraid that someone will tell something about something that is supposed to be a secret. Adding a new element to the mix is Tony Nardella, a young man whom Vince brought home from the prison. That’s right, he brought an ex-con into the house, something that doesn’t sit well with Joyce.
Under the guise of doing day labor with Vince on the boatshed out back, Tony seems to be the grounding element for the Rizzo family. A fine male specimen, Joyce and Vivian both may need a little cooling off from all the eye candy before them. Slowly, secrets unfold as things are disclosed to this stranger with the proviso that he keep each respective secret. Through Tony’s eyes we learn everyone smokes, that Joyce is lonely and lustful and that she thinks Vince is having an affair rather than playing poker, and we find out that Vince is secretly studying to pursue his lifelong dream of acting, using the poker game story as a cover for acting class lest someone “laugh” at him. But as part and parcel to Vince’s acting class is his acting partner Molly who acts not only as Vincent’s acting muse, but as the catalyst to the unfolding of the biggest secret of all. And Vivian, well, it seems Vivian got busted for pot and lost her college scholarship forcing her to get a job stripping to make money for tuition so she doesn’t have to tell her parents. And as for Tony, well Tony has no secrets but for one of which even he isn’t aware.
I have never enjoyed Andy Garcia in any role as much as I do here with his performance as Vince Rizzo. His comedic skills rooted in the drama of everyday life are beyond entertaining, garnering laugh out loud guffaws at every turn. His interpretation of a “wannabe actor” auditioning for a Scorsese and DeNiro movie had me rolling in the aisles, while his fatherly histrionics and melodrama is so true, so real, that it just breathes comedy and laughter. And at the heart of it all, is this permeating great love for his family and his idyllic life on City Island. Bravo! According to Garcia, “The creative experience was fantastic for me. Layered on top, doing it with my daughter.” But the enjoyment I got from reading that script and performing that character, I would hope would transfer into the experience of an audience.” Trust me, it does.
As Joyce, this is a Julianna Margulies we have never before seen. Dynamic, over-the-top, sensual, a mother ensconced in a 20 year marriage with teenaged kids and flabbergasting emotion that ratchets into explosive fiery familial rage, she is sensational. And her chemistry with Garcia? It’s as if they had been married for 20 years. The explanation for this chemistry and Margulies’ strong performance is simple according to Garcia. “We showed up and did it. There was no rehearsal or nothing. I worked with Julianna before in a movie. [Here] she was cast on Saturday, we started work on Monday. We showed up. We laughed. We looked at each other and it was like “we’ve done this before” and it was there.”
But not only does Margulies have chemistry with Garcia. Take a look at her with Steven Strait’s Tony Nardella! Strait is a dream. And not just to look at ladies. Strait walks an emotional tightrope of honesty and integrity, bringing a pure sanity to the role that is a catalyst for comedic response. Careful with his facial expressiveness, Strait provides us with a POV that is enlightening and entertaining, while making Nardella likeable and appealing, despite his criminal past.
And what about the role of Vivian? Yes, Garcia’s daughter, Dominik Garcia-Lorido is Vivian. A role that required an audition with and hiring by DeFellita, according to a very proud father, Dominik was so intent on getting this role that she actually bought a stripper pole and practiced for months before the audition. As Vivian, she has spunk and defiance, yet a real fear of disappointing her father, an emotion which undoubtedly was intensified by her real life role as Garcia’s daughter. Not to be outdone, Emily Mortimer weighs in with an exuberant, heartfelt performance as Vince’s acting partner, Molly. And Alan Arkin as Vince’s acting teacher – to die for!
Written and directed by Raymond DeFellita, CITY ISLAND is a story filled with heart, celebrating the blue collar old world traditions of family, love and a lot of comedic insanity. The script is flawless, filled with characters, including CITY ISLAND itself, that are rich, interesting and connectable. The humor is unforced and natural. The individual plot lines and “secrets” are all elegantly choreographed, coming together in a masterful climax that will have you laughing and crying at the same time. The dialogue is sparkling, witty and smart with a 30’s screwball comedy edge to it. The characters and the story itself resonate with you long after the curtain falls. For Garcia, the key to the quality and enjoyment of CITY ISLAND is “the script. The script. You read the script. You go, ‘I’m ready to go.’ It’s already there.” I totally agree.
Serving as producer, for Garcia another essential element to the success of any film is “resonance”. “ If you’re thinking about the movie two weeks later or a month later and you’re recommending it to friends and 3 years from now you go, ‘Did you ever see?’ – if a movie has resonance like that whether it be through humor or drama that’s what I strive for.” With CITY ISLAND, “Having seen it now at 20 times with a large audience, the initial reaction of the audience is like seeing a baby get up on skates for the first time and twirl and be proud of her. Ultimately, every movie you make is like a new child. You want to see it flourish and you want people to enjoy it.” There is nothing not to enjoy about CITY ISLAND.
Take a fun-filled trip to CITY ISLAND – the best kept secret in New York and on the big screen this weekend. .
Vince Rizzo – Andy Garcia
Joyce Rizzo – Julianna Margulies
Tony Nardella – Steven Strait
Vivian – Dominick Garcia-Lorido
Vinnie, Jr. – Ezra Miller
Written and directed by Raymond DeFellita.
