This gangster spoof is a dark comedy that’s more ironic than it is funny. The film begins with Don Corrado Prizzi (William Hickey, MY BLUE HEAVEN) making a blood oath to be like a father to the newborn son of Angelo Partanna (John Randolph, CHRISTMAS VACATION). Then we jump forward in time to when the baby boy, Charley (Jack Nicholson, AS GOOD AS IT GETS), has grown up to be the top soldier in the crime family. At a wedding, he instantly becomes enraptured by the beautiful blonde Irene Walker (Kathleen Turner, BODY HEAT). A passionate and quick romance springs forth between them. However, she turns out to be not what she seems.
The film pits the honor of the gangster code of loyalty against love. Nicholson plays Charley as a slightly dim thug. His performance ranges from subtle to just hamming it. Turner plays Irene as a chipper go-getter who doesn’t think twice about the world of violence that she has entered. Great supporting work comes from Anjelica Huston (ROYAL TENENBAUMS) as Charley’s ex-fiancee Maerose Prizzi, Lee Richardson (THE FLY II) as Maerose’s gangster boss father Dominic and Robert Loggia (AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN) as family lawyer Eduardo Prizzi.
Where the film falters a little is in its tone, which ranges from gags to very subtle dry wit. The film begins with brass knuckles being given as a baptism gift, but plays some scenes so straight they play like drama. It seems that director John Huston (THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE) and writers Richard Condon (adapting his own novel) and Janet Roach are too afraid to play the material over-the-top. The film plays the conventions so close to straight gangster films that it seems like a straight gangster film at times.
Some scenes in the film are subtly hilarious. Charley and Irene’s hit together and Maerose’s advise to Charley about marrying Irene are perfect examples of the film hitting the right notes. However, too many scenes seem to be lacking that bite. Moreover, I never cared about Charley and Irene as a couple. But what makes the film work is its intelligence. The script is ingenious. When the film is funny; it’s quite funny. It’s a hit or miss affair that hits more than it misses, but I wished it would have hit a bit more.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
