Palaest recommended

Numerootno A story that's too fascinating to pass by...

Marva-nova Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

zetes Pretty entertaining, low-key crime flick. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts play two going-nowhere punks in NYC. Roberts in particular works as a waiter in a club for gangsters and wishes he could be more like them. He overhears things, and picks up some information that he thinks could lead him and his cousin/best buddy Rourke to big money. Of course, everything goes wrong (you'd have to be nuts to try to commit a crime with nutjob Eric Roberts by your side). Rourke is a bit of an overactor, but looks extremely subtle next to Roberts. As bad an actor as Roberts is, though, there's some crazy there that always makes me kind of like his performances. Geraldine Page has a small role and got nominated for an Oscar for it. This is an example of an aging star giving a serviceable character actor performance, and it's nothing special. My choice for best in show would actually be Daryl Hannah as Rourke's girlfriend. She has a couple of really good scenes. Kenneth McMillan is also good as the Irish safe cracker Rourke and Roberts hook up with, and Rocky's Burt Young is good as the mob boss they're ripping off. M. Emmet Walsh also co-stars but doesn't get much to do.

jcbutthead86 The Pope Of Greenwich Village is an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that combines great direction,amazing performances from Mickey Rourke,Eric Roberts and a terrific supporting cast,a fantastic script and a outstanding film score that make The Pope Of Greenwich an entertaining and memorable film that is Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts at their best.Based on the novel of the same name by Vincent Patrick and set in the Greenwich Village section of New York,The Pope Of Greenwich Village tells the story of cousins Charlie(Mickey Rourke)and Paulie(Eric Roberts)two guys who have big ambitions Charlie wants to have his own restaurant and Paulie a schemer that wants to make money but the two have financial troubles. With no other options,Charlie and Paulie with the help of clock repairman and locksmith Barney(Kenneth McMillian)decide to rob a safe at a local business. When the robbery goes wrong Charlie and Paulie have to deal Italian Mob Boss Bed Bug Eddie(Burt Young)as well as the cops in order to get out of danger.Released in 1984,The Pope Of Greenwich Village is a brilliant Crime Drama while earning decent reviews from critics and receiving an Oscar nomination wasn't a hit at the Box Office and didn't get much attention from movie audiences at the time. But,thankfully overtime The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status throughout the years and is not only seen as a great Crime Drama but is also seen as one of the most underrated movies of the 1980s. I think that one of the reasons The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status and is an entertaining film is because the film gives viewers a different kind of Crime Drama that combines Crime Drama,Gangster Film and a Buddy Movie and gives the movie not only a incredible energy that keeps you glued to the screen for 121 minutes. What I also like about The Pope Of Greenwich Village is that despite having all of the trademark elements of Crime Dramas such as vicious Criminals,Gangsters,Cops as well as common elements including violence and betrayal,the story in POGV is handled with a great balance of dark and light elements with the dark elements being the Drama,Gangsters and violence and the light elements being the Comedy and Humor showing the friendship and antics of Charlie and Paulie or Paulie by himself which is funny and at times over the top. Another thing that I like about POGV is the authentic feel of the film whether it's the New York locations throughout the city or neighborhoods or the characters and their streetwise attitudes that don't feel forced or fake but real and accurate. The New York locations and attitudes of the characters at times reminded me of Martin Scorsese's classic Gangster Films such as Goodfellas and Mean Streets(a film that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is often compared to)and like Scorsese's New York City Crime Dramas,POGV brings you into a world that is dangerous,violent and at times funny and you are absorbed and mesmerized. The screenplay by Vincent Patrick(adapted from his own novel)is terrific and well-written with Patrick giving the characters dialog that is tough and gritty as well as rich and amazing with most of the characters having depth and power. Patrick also has great scenes in the film that are memorable and truly unforgettable and match the world and tone that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is showing. Like I said before POGV is a buddy movie and it is very true with the main characters Charlie and Paulie because even if the characters aren't always likable we relate to the two because like a lot of people in the world they are both dreamers and have big aspirations to get what they want whether it's owning a restaurant or making money. While Charlie and Paulie have problems with each other they are still family and care about one another even when bad things are happening all around them and it is the relationship between Charlie and Paulie is one of the things that drives the film and is the film because it's funny,real and true to life. The ending of The Pope Of Greenwich Village is amazing,funny and surprising and leaves with a smile feeling like everything will be alright for Charlie and Paulie in the long run. A great ending.The whole cast is outstanding. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts are excellent and at their best as Charlie and Paulie,with Rourke bringing a coolness and charisma and Roberts being funny and over the top and the two have great scenes and chemistry together. Daryl Hannah does a wonderful job as Diane,Charlie's girlfriend. Geraldine Page earned a best supporting Actress Oscar Nomination for her small but terrific performance as Mrs. Ritter,Bunky's Mother. Kenneth McMillan is outstanding as Barney,a locksmith that helps Charlie and Paulie. Burt Young is fantastic and menacing as Bed Bug Eddie,a vicious Gangster. M. Emmett Walsh is great as always in his small role as Burns,a New York cop. Tony Mustaine is effective as Uncle Pete,Paulie's Uncle. Jack Kehoe is sensational as Bunky,a New York Cop.The direction by Stuart Rosenberg is great,with Rosenberg with Rosenberg doing a simple but effective job and sometimes moving the camera and giving the movie a great style and pace. Wonderful job,Rosenberg.The score by Dave Grusin is fantastic,moody,dramatic and light and matches the tone of the film perfectly. Great score,Grusin. There is also a memorable use of Frank Sinatra's classic song Summer Wind which is used a few times in the film.In final word,if you love Crime Dramas,Gangster Films,Mickey Rourke or Eric Roberts,I highly suggest you see The Pope Of Greenwich Village,an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that is Rourke and Roberts at their best. Highly Recommended. 10/10.

Richie-67-485852 I was raised in New York. Those are my credentials and I say we got a winner of a movie on our hands here. Everything presented and discussed is a bulls eye bar none. The dialog, eating habits, dress, attitudes, cops, locations, high buildings, local goombahs, music, sports (stickball), mother of a cop, and on and on. That is why this movie fits like a comfortable glove to anyone watching it. It is so natural and real life. That is the secret. When I was a kid, looking for opportunities never stop and here we have a couple of guys looking for the same although sloppily. That is what draws you in. You know they are going to fail and that could be you. I mean you don't rob a place in your own neighborhood. Even dumb criminals know that. As far as the story and plot go, it is neat and doesn't waste time setting you up and pulling you in. The actors all take their parts and send them back with vigor on the the screen and into your memory quite effectively. Grab something to snack on to turn up the enjoyment meter although its running high and join those that have seen this movie several times over.

merklekranz This movie has more heart than "Mean Streets" or "Goodfellas" . Unfortunately, "The Pope of Greenwich Village" is often overlooked or forgotten. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts deliver career-best performances. The supporting cast, with the exception of Daryl Hannah, is near perfect. From Charlie and Paulie's check scams, and even when they progress to big time thieves, nothing can shake their loyalty. If you enjoy small time mob films, "The Pope of Greenwich Village" is well acted, with a great script. This two hour movie flies by leaving the viewer wishing for more. A great night's entertainment. Highly recommended. - MERK