Four boys from Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, see violence everyday, in the streets and behind closed doors, but the sense of belonging they feel to the place where they grew up, where their lifelong friendship was forged, offers a kind of safety. When they're moved to a young offenders facility, the youths experience violence of a different kind, one that's inescapable, even after it ends. Years later, a chance for revenge may offer a semblance of closure.
Split between showing adolescence and adulthood, the film presents a story of loss and abuse of power that at times is reminiscent of
Scorsese and
Leone's period gangster films. In addition to upsetting imagery, a v/o provides a more personal insight into topics that are controversial and challenging.
4 snapping bolts out of 5
