Writer/director John Gray's debut feature is a solid indie effort, a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale set in Brooklyn circa 1975. Brian (Nick Thurston) is just out of high school, and trying to figure out his life. He bides his time working at the struggling local cinema, booking weekend concerts for owner Whitey (Peter Riegert), and painting watercolors in the basement of his apartment building. Brian's mom, Margaret (Karen Allen), is beaten down by alcoholic dad Paddy (Stephen Lang), and big brother Danny (Geoff Wigdor) is trying to draw Brian into a life of crime. But things begin to look up when Shauna (Leslie Murphy), the girl of his dreams, starts returning his stares. Gray's film artfully re-creates vintage Brooklyn, and despite some trite dialogue and ethnic stereotyping, the relationships feel real. This is a gritty, dreamy Everyman story, sure to resonate with viewers who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks.
