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Lookin' Italian
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Wikipedia article
'Lookin' Italian' is a 1994 American crime film directed by Guy Magar and starring Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc.
Synopsis
Vinny Pallazzo (Jay Acovone) is a retired gangster who has left the mafia after a disastrous incident. Now working as a clerk in a dusty bookshop of Los Angeles, he has to look after his young, reckless nephew Anthony (Matt LeBlanc), who lives fast, spending his time between seducing girls at the bookshop, dancing in nightclubs and playing poker games with friends. Vinny tries to do everything so that Anthony doesn't cross paths with mafia and gang wars, as he is afraid that his brash and hot-blooded nephew might end up like his father - dead. But that may be a lot more difficult than it sounds, especially after Anthony's girlfriend is brutally killed with another friend of his, by a gang. Anthony wants then to be avenged, especially after learning the truth about his father.
Cast
* Jay Acovone : Vincenzo "Vinny" Pallazzo
* Matt LeBlanc : Anthony Manetti
* Stephanie Richards : Danielle
* Lou Rawls : Willy
* John LaMotta : Don Dinardo
* Ralph Manza : Manza
* Real Andrews : Riva
* Angelina Brunetti : the grandmother
Production
A low-budget independent movie, 'Lookin' Italian' is meant to be, in director Guy Magar words, "an hommage to Scorsese and to Italian-American culture ... To me, the words "Lookin' Italian" mean "lookin' good".Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot (Magar's autobiography)
Magar also mentioned in his autobiography about the good friendship between Acovone and LeBlanc as the first took the latter under his wing and helped him with his acting.
Critical reception
The critical response was mixed. 'Variety' said:
On the other hand, other newspapers gave some good reviews, especially for a low-budget and low-promoted film. The Press Enterprise remarked, for example, that 'Lookin' Italian' was "A powerful, smart and sassy independently-made film that comes together so well blending comedy and drama, issues and entertainment is a tribute to Guy Magar who made it for the low Hollywood cost of under $1-million!"Action/Cut Article
Notes
References
* 'Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot' by Guy Magar
*[https://variety.com/1994/film/reviews/lookin-italian-2-1200435276/ The critic from Variety Magazine (01/13/1994) ]
*[http://www.actioncut.com/fms/instructorfounder.htm Article containing some reviews of this movie as well as others by Guy Magar]
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