"When you're searching for a killer... the last suspect you want to see is your son." New York City homicide detective Vincent LaMarca has had a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, making a name for himself as a man intensely committed to his work. On his latest case, the number one suspect is his son Joey. This murder investigation is drawing Vincent home to Long Beach, the self-proclaimed City by the Sea, where the past has been waiting for him to return. The agonizing memory that has tortured him all his life - the death of his father: a convicted murderer who was executed when Vincent was just a boy - still plagues him. In the course of the investigation, he discovers that his own unresolved pain and failures as a father have deeply influenced Joey's life, and now his 18-month-old grandson may be fated to follow their self-destructive paths.
De Niro plays Vincent with an insecurity, a deep-down dose of shame, that we're not used to seeing from this actor in dramatic roles. It's one of his gentlest, most quietly affecting performances. This is one of his strongest performances to date and one of the year's best. Franco meets the challenge of his role opposite De Niro by playing a younger version of his father as he too struggles to make the right life decisions regarding his crime and drug use. Also strong in this ensemble work is Frances McDormand, whose love for Vincent pushes the limits of her commitment to him, and arouses equally difficult choices for her as a result "City by the Sea" is a painful look at how the emotional years of faulty parenting can affect the relationships between fathers and sons as well as the innocent loved ones surrounding them.
All in all, this tense drama is an entertaining movie with great performances. My congratulations to Ken Hixon and Michael Caton-Jones, who managed to create a solid and entertaining motion picture. After directing critically-acclaimed films like "Rob Roy", "This Boy's Life" and now "City by the Sea", we will certainly hear from Caton-Jones in a near future.
An underrated melancholic drama. 8/10
De Niro plays Vincent with an insecurity, a deep-down dose of shame, that we're not used to seeing from this actor in dramatic roles. It's one of his gentlest, most quietly affecting performances. This is one of his strongest performances to date and one of the year's best. Franco meets the challenge of his role opposite De Niro by playing a younger version of his father as he too struggles to make the right life decisions regarding his crime and drug use. Also strong in this ensemble work is Frances McDormand, whose love for Vincent pushes the limits of her commitment to him, and arouses equally difficult choices for her as a result "City by the Sea" is a painful look at how the emotional years of faulty parenting can affect the relationships between fathers and sons as well as the innocent loved ones surrounding them.
All in all, this tense drama is an entertaining movie with great performances. My congratulations to Ken Hixon and Michael Caton-Jones, who managed to create a solid and entertaining motion picture. After directing critically-acclaimed films like "Rob Roy", "This Boy's Life" and now "City by the Sea", we will certainly hear from Caton-Jones in a near future.
An underrated melancholic drama. 8/10