Gangs of New York Movie Review 2002

Scorsese's flawed but rich and powerful epic recounts the mid-19th Century struggles in New York's Five Points section between the Irish immigrant gang the Dead Rabbits and the second-generation nativist gangs led by the brutal but mesmerizing Bill the Butcher (Day-Lewis). Young Amsterdam Vallon (DeCaprio) witnesses the death of his father (Neeson), the leader of the Rabbits, in a bloody street melee and is sent away. When he returns, unrecognized, he insinuates himself into Bill's inner circle, waiting for his chance at vengeance and catching the eye of pickpocket Jenny (Diaz). This plot is set against the backdrop of the political corruption of "Boss" Tweed's New York empire and the draft riots that were tearing the city apart at the time. Scorsese's vision is realized through meticulous attention to period detail, a standout performance by Day-Lewis, and the willingness to show hero and villain alike as well-rounded characters. Uneven pacing and underuse (probably out of necessity) of excellent supporting cast are the only complaints. Loosely based on the 1928 book by Herbert Asbury.

Distribution

Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 500 S. Buena Vista St., Burbank, CA 91521-1120, Toll-free: 800-723-4763, URL: http://www.bvhe.com

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 168 minutes.
Originally from United States.

Cast and Crew

Genres

New York, New York, Revenge, Homicide, Period Piece: 19th Century, Historical Drama, Politics, Immigration, Gangs

Screenplay

Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, Kenneth Lonergan

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson, Jim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, Brendan Gleeson, Gary Lewis, Stephen Graham, Eddie Marsan, Alec McCowen, David Hemmings, Larry (Lawrence) Gilliard, Cara Seymour, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Cian McCormack

Cinematography

Michael Ballhaus

Director

Martin Scorsese

Music

Howard Shore

Other

Martin Scorsese, Ivan Sharrock, Thelma Schoonmaker, Stefano Ortolani, Sandy Powell, Dante Ferretti

Producer

Alberto Grimaldi, Harvey Weinstein, Miramax Films

Awards

British Acad. 2002: Actor (Day-Lewis); Golden Globes 2003: Director (Scorsese), Song ("The Hands That Built America"); L.A. Film Critics 2002: Actor (Day-Lewis); N.Y. Film Critics 2002: Actor (Day-Lewis); Screen Actors Guild 2002: Actor (Day-Lewis).