STATE OF GRACE
US, 1990, 134 minutes, Colour.
Sean Penn, Ed Harris, Gary Oldman, Robin Wright, John Turturro, Burgess Meredith, John C.Reilly.
Directed by Phil Jouanou
State of Grace is an interesting, if long, picture of mobsters in New York City of the '80s and '90s. It is a blend of police investigation, so prominent a genre in the '70s and '80s with the portrait of the mobsters. State of Grace is more akin to Martin Scorsese's films - Mean Streets, Goodfellas - than with the myths of the Mafia like the Godfather series.
The film was directed by Phil Jouanou, director of the teen comedy 3 O'Clock High and, more significantly, the documentary on U2, Rattle and Hum.
The film creates the atmosphere of a brutal New York City, the role of the contemporary mobsters, their violence. Sean Penn is the undercover policeman, a friend growing up with these Irish Mafia, under cover to expose them. The undercover job and his friendship tears at his loyalties. (Like Scorsese, there is a Catholic background in the screenplay and themes of repentance, the state of grace, guilt, atonement.) Ed Harris is very effective as the mobster chief. Gary Oldman gives another frantic performance as the younger brother. Robyn Wright is their sister, emotionally involved with Penn, but wanting to get away from her mobster background.
The film has a twist in it. It is not until halfway through that the audience knows that Penn is an undercover policeman. Up till then, we have assumed that he is a mobster. This makes the film more interesting with the change of perspective, of emotional identification and rejection, of hoped-for outcomes.
The film spends a lot of time on detail of the characters, their background, their interactions. This makes the film rather long and less streamlined as an action thriller.
1. A portrait of New York gangsters, the Irish Mafia? Police investigations?
2. The use of New York City locations, authentic atmosphere, New Jersey? The streets, bars, homes, factories, wharves? Light and darkness? The musical score?
3. The movie tradition about gangsters, violence, cruelty? Justice?
4. The title, Terry's explanation of the state of grace? The Catholic and Irish tradition, Catholic upbringing, the churches? The action in church between Terry, Jackie and Kathleen? Talk about angels and grace? Candles and prayer? Sin and atonement?
5. Terry, on the bridge, with Nick, receiving the guns? The meeting, the drug set-up, the squalor, guns pulled, the hit and deaths? Audience response to Terry as a gangster? His meeting up with Jackie, the long years' absence? Jackie and his joy, the roof, and the macabre humour with the hands from the fridge? The bonds between them? Meeting Kathleen again, bringing up the past? Terry ingratiating himself with Jackie, leading to the visit to Frankie's house, the reconciliation?
6. The Irish Mafia, comparisons with the Italians? Frankie as the chief thug? His home in New Jersey, wife, pleasant manners? His henchmen? Jackie as his official, but erratic? His relationship with Kathleen, her escape from home, his bringing his brother and sister up? His visit to her shop to warn her against Terry? The friendship with the other Irish, with Steve as part of the group? Yet prepared to kill him for the Italians? Leading him out, the brutality of the murder? The standover tactics, the bar, the fight amongst themselves? Deals and cruelty? The domination of the Italians? The rivalry?
7. The portrait of Jackie, erratic emotionally, his dependence on Frankie? Drinking, rowdy? With Terry and the arson? The standover tactics in the bar, emptying the booze? Yet the more tender side, friendship with Terry? His drinking, in the church, sorry for himself? Forgetful the next day? Friendship with Steve, with Terry on the wharves? Wanting to save Steve? Going berserk at his death, shooting the Italians in the restaurant? Frankie having to cover for him? Terry and the bond of friendship yet using him? The set-up with the Italians, waiting, Terry confusing Jackie? The attack in the street - but not shooting? Frankie and his mission for Jackie, embracing him? Setting him up and shooting him? His funeral?
8. Audience response to Terry, with Jackie, the arson, the standover tactics? On the wharf with Steve? The bashing of the Italian bodyguards? Ingratiating himself with Frankie? Kathleen, memories of love, having to leave New York and Hell's Kitchen, setting up the relationship again? Steve and the friendship, the impact of Steve's death? His funeral, seeing Nick? The revelation of the truth about his being an undercover cop? His dilemmas, wanting to get out, telling Kathleen the truth? The further deaths? The stakeout, his trying to confuse Jackie to stop the massacre? Kathleen rejecting him? Helping Jackie, the phone call to Nick - and missing the murder? Telling Frankie the truth at the funeral, showing him his badge? Walking through the St Patrick's Day procession? Setting up the shoot-out in the bar, killing the group, his own serious wounds, his own sense of guilt - and his future? The background of his escape, going to Boston, returning, sense of betrayal, motivation as a policeman?
9. Kathleen and her escape from Hell's Kitchen, working in the shop? Her relationship with her brothers? Affection for Jackie? Terry, his return, the past? Going out with him, the sexual liaison? Her bewilderment, her psychologist? The deaths? Frankie's warning, the truth about Terry? Her rejecting Terry?
10. Stevie, the Irish background, friendships, debts, on the wharves, the Italian toughs, the fight, the humiliation for the Don, Frankie agreeing to kill him, the brutal murder?
11. The presentation of the Italians, the traditional Mafia, the Mafia Don, his style, honour? Deals and murders? Family loyalties? Business? The meeting with Frankie, the set-up - and the massacre not taking place?
12. The world of money, drugs, enforcement and protection?
13. Nick, the police background, under cover, controlling Terry, the weapons, the funeral, the meetings? Not letting him out?
14. The blend of police thriller, gangster film, family loyalties? A piece of Americana?
