Made Men ** (1997, James Biberi, Thomas Calabro, Don Close, Cara Buono, Andrew Fiscella, Aida Turturro) – Classic Movie Review 5913

‘They grew up together. Life turned them into Made Men.’ James Biberi stars as hot-tempered Vinny Morganti, Andrew Fiscella as Sal Ponti, Thomas Calabro as Nicky ‘Shoes’ Piazza in co-writer/ co-producer/ director Don Close’s well-made, involving 1997 Mafia tale of Made Men.

Close gets some fresh mileage out of a familiar story of Italian-American lads still struggling to come of age, arguing with their girlfriends, and getting mixed up with the mob.

Vinny and Sal are nearly 30 but still hanging out in Queens. Don Close plays their buddy, sensitive aspiring writer Peter ‘Reno’ Renotti, Cara Buono plays his pregnant girlfriend Toni-Ann Antonelli, and Aida Turturro plays Angie.

Also in the cast are Tye Pierson as Ronnie Perkins, Nellie Sciutto, Frank Vincent as the local don Tommy (The Bull) Vitaglia, Anthony Grasso, and Johnny Williams as Lou Bracco.

Shot by cinematographer Bud Gardner, it is filmed in black and white and colour.

Biberi co-scripts and co-produces this independent film with Close. Inevitably it is a Close Encounters production, though less inevitably also a Pool Party production.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5913

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