R | 1h 46min | Comedy, Drama, Romance, Coming-of-Age | 21 April 2023 (USA)
For 9 seasons (1996–2005), former humorist Ray Romano co-produced, sometimes wrote, and performed the title lead in “Everyone Loves Raymond” (“Everyone”), a CBS sitcom that loved mammoth viewership and lukewarm crucial response whereas providing ultrasafe content material.
From 2009 to 2011, Romano did the identical factor on “Males of a Sure Age” (“Sure”), a a lot edgier comedy with dramatic components that wowed critics, received a Peabody Award, and pulled in below-modest rankings that led to TNT’s canceling it after two seasons.
Senior Rookie
It’s too early to say for positive, however the two very totally different demographics for these two TV reveals are more likely to discover themselves on considerably favorable widespread floor with “Someplace in Queens” (“Queens”), which Queens native Romano co-produced, co-wrote (with “Sure” workers author Mark Stegemann), and performs the lead. At age 65, Romano directed “Queens,” his first function movie as a director, proving that it’s by no means too late to strive one thing new.
From the get-go, it’s clear that Romano is kind of snug behind the digital camera. Following a video sequence at a marriage, the opening title sequence pans the ground-level Queens panorama and consists of landmarks similar to White Fort and Citi Discipline in a fashion just like that seen in “The Sopranos.”
All through the movie, Romano additionally consists of one other nod to “The Sopranos” with a number of Sunday night time dinners full with kibitzing, insults, and lots-o-profanity. “Everyone” followers ought to put together themselves accordingly; there are dozens and dozens of “F-bombs” dropped for the length.
Household Enterprise
Leo Russo (Romano) works development in a household enterprise based by his father Dominic (Tony Lo Bianco), alongside his brothers Frank (Sebastian Maniscalco) and Petey (Jon Manfrellotti). Frank can also be the foreman and relishes in bossing his older brothers round. The crew is presently doing work for Pamela (Jennifer Esposito), a frisky widow who’s means too into yoga and is prowling for a brand new squeeze.
Laurie Metcalf co-stars as Leo’s highschool sweetheart-wife Angela, a stay-at-home mother with a barely functioning brain-to-mouth filter who just about runs the Russo family with out, and that is key, ever emasculating Leo. A flexible actress who appears to seize the essence of a job, Metcalf’s “New Yawk” accent is dead-on-the-mark with out sounding compelled, overly broad, or like something resembling parody.
For very totally different causes finest defined within the movie, Leo and Angela are closely invested in the way forward for their solely youngster, Matthew (Jacob Ward), lovingly referred to by everybody as “Sticks.” A senior and the perfect participant on his just-average highschool basketball crew, Sticks is a shy highschool senior who says little, emotes much less, and is sort of inconceivable to learn.
Sticks is so enigmatic and inscrutable that Leo and Angela don’t know that he has a girlfriend (Sadie Stanley), till Dani introduces herself to them after a season-ending recreation. Perky, personable, blunt when warranted, and never too gregarious, Dani is from a lesser-affluent a part of Forest Hills, which is her means of claiming that she’s not an elitist snob. Leo instantly likes her; the endlessly suspicious Angela has her doubts.
To enter additional element relating to the plot would smash the multitude of twists and turns to come back. The writers take additional care to not over-explain the story and depend on the viewers to be intelligent sufficient to piece collectively what takes place unsaid in between the narrative beats. It’s good storytelling, and any aspiring screenwriter ought to watch the film a number of instances to select up on its many shorthand nuances.
Simply Like Actual Life
The filmmakers pull off a near-impossible feat right here. They craft a narrative that’s without delay mainstream pleasant and sensible, however in a not-too-esoteric or condescending method. Usually sticky and sophisticated points surrounding past love, elusive love, time-tested love, and parent-child love are all given equal play time and none are resolved in pat, secure, only-in-the-movies methods; a lot of it’s difficult and a few of it will get messy, similar to in actual life.
I’m not an “Everyone” fan (I watched two episodes and wasn’t wowed) however was barely impressed with “Sure”—extra so with the performances of co-stars Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula. I’ve seen video clips of Romano’s late Eighties to early ’90s stand-up stuff they usually have been good, however not a lot that I’d watch them once more. I did, nonetheless, form of like Romano’s temporary flip as a union lawyer in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.” In different phrases, I by no means thought a lot of Romano—till now.
“Queens” is an outstanding first-filmmaking effort, and I can’t wait to see what Romano does subsequent. In lower than two hours, he fully modified my opinion of his abilities and I humbly tip my hat to him.
Solution to go, Ray.
‘Someplace in Queens’
Director: Ray Romano
Stars: Ray Romano, Laurie Metcalf, Jacob Ward, Jennifer Esposito, Tony Lo Bianco
Operating Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
MPAA Score: R
Launch Date: April 21, 2023
Score: 5 out of 5
