The Black Donnellys

Reviewed by:
Gregg Braverman

New York's Hell's Kitchen has the seedy pubs and stench of human urine to serve as the backdrop for Crash helmer Paul Haggis' gritty mob drama. The four Donnelly brothers, lead by Tommy's conscience and Jimmy's lunacy, are stacked like familial Jenga with the Irish and Italian mobs both pushing out pieces from the bottom. Evoking a tussle-haired Michael Corleone, Tommy quits crime, but refuses to leave his family in turmoil or the girl he loves—played by a girl you'll love, Olivia Wilde. Donnellys keeps the scenarios tight, with each story line as plausible as those told by any of Anna Nicole's would-be baby daddies. Prepare for sharp dialogue riddled with plenty of violence and an opening-credits sequence as subtle as a soymilk fart.

Share