I didn't think this film worked on any level and is a complete mess in my opinion.
Sam Witmer stars as Joe Neiderman, AKA Joe Rich, who's caught in the throes of the Big Recession, with his job outsourced, his home foreclosed on, his girlfriend disappearing, and his bank account drained to nothing. Joe decides to hit the road and leave California to go back to his roots in Chicago, where his mother (Talia Shire) and his Uncle Dom reside.
Uncle Dom, well portrayed by Armand Assante who thrives on these types of roles, is shall we say "well connected", and perhaps one of the last "honorable" mob figures left. However, he can also be brutally vicious and violent to those that go against him.
Joe, with his life crumbling, wants to join Uncle Dom in what Joe calls "The Outfit", or the mob. After much cajoling Dom reluctantly gives him a chance, but on his first job, Joe, along with his friend Bernard (Joe Minoso), messes up quite miserably.
With this failure, Joe gets another idea. He'll steal Uncle Dom's couriered mob money and hold Dom captive as well. I don't have to tell you that this is going to lead to all kinds of bloody mayhem and violence.
Just to mention Joe is also trying to re-establish himself with his old girlfriend Terri, in Chicago. after leaving her seven years ago. She's played by Vanessa Vander Pluyn, and will play a fairly important role as the film winds down.
I won't go into any further plot details, other than to say there's plenty of gruesome violence with fingers and hands being forced into kitchen sink garbage disposals, baseball bat beatings, graphic descriptions of torture, hints of mother/son incest, and of course the revolting scene where a filled bedpan is thrown onto Joe.
Some movies like this somehow get a little better as they go along, but unfortunately this one got even worse as it completely deteriorated into a nonsensical mess. The film also utilizes somewhat confusing flash forwards and flashbacks. Also, it's filled with situational commentary from apparently former mob figures.
In summary, I found this movie to be a grim waste of time and to have absolutely no redeeming value.
Sam Witmer stars as Joe Neiderman, AKA Joe Rich, who's caught in the throes of the Big Recession, with his job outsourced, his home foreclosed on, his girlfriend disappearing, and his bank account drained to nothing. Joe decides to hit the road and leave California to go back to his roots in Chicago, where his mother (Talia Shire) and his Uncle Dom reside.
Uncle Dom, well portrayed by Armand Assante who thrives on these types of roles, is shall we say "well connected", and perhaps one of the last "honorable" mob figures left. However, he can also be brutally vicious and violent to those that go against him.
Joe, with his life crumbling, wants to join Uncle Dom in what Joe calls "The Outfit", or the mob. After much cajoling Dom reluctantly gives him a chance, but on his first job, Joe, along with his friend Bernard (Joe Minoso), messes up quite miserably.
With this failure, Joe gets another idea. He'll steal Uncle Dom's couriered mob money and hold Dom captive as well. I don't have to tell you that this is going to lead to all kinds of bloody mayhem and violence.
Just to mention Joe is also trying to re-establish himself with his old girlfriend Terri, in Chicago. after leaving her seven years ago. She's played by Vanessa Vander Pluyn, and will play a fairly important role as the film winds down.
I won't go into any further plot details, other than to say there's plenty of gruesome violence with fingers and hands being forced into kitchen sink garbage disposals, baseball bat beatings, graphic descriptions of torture, hints of mother/son incest, and of course the revolting scene where a filled bedpan is thrown onto Joe.
Some movies like this somehow get a little better as they go along, but unfortunately this one got even worse as it completely deteriorated into a nonsensical mess. The film also utilizes somewhat confusing flash forwards and flashbacks. Also, it's filled with situational commentary from apparently former mob figures.
In summary, I found this movie to be a grim waste of time and to have absolutely no redeeming value.