City by the Sea
Encyclopedia
City by the Sea is a 2002 film starring Robert De Niro
, James Franco
, Eliza Dushku
, Frances McDormand
and William Forsythe
. It deals with a family problems of wayward youth and set against a man trying to break free of his past. It was directed by Michael Caton-Jones
. It is based on the story of Vincent LaMarca
.
) is a veteran street cop and the son of an executed killer. While his father did not intend to kill the child he kidnapped, the son reaps the reputation anyway and decides to be so good that he is beyond reproach. Meanwhile, his own son Joey LaMarca (James Franco
), a drug user with fading memories of athletic high school
glory, gets wrapped up in a drug-related killing and, with no other choice, asks his estranged father for help. Joey suddenly comes to the attention of Vincent's current girlfriend Michelle (Frances McDormand
), who asks Vincent why he is not going to help his son. Vincent has tried so hard to distance himself from his past that he cannot accept any intrusion into his contentment. Then Joey's girlfriend Gina (Eliza Dushku
), who struggles to stay sober for her and Joey's infant son Angelo, comes into Vincent's life, asking him to save Joey. She later escapes, leaving the child with Vincent. Joey gets deeper into trouble when the local drug enforcer Spyder (William Forsythe
) kills Vincent's cop partner Reg (George Dzundza
) who was helping Vincent clear Joey's name, and the murder is pinned on Joey. In the end, Vincent sets aside his self-imposed isolation and helps save his son.
Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
, James Franco
James Franco
James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
, Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
, Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand
Frances Louise McDormand is an American film and stage actress. She has starred in a number of films, including her Academy Award-winning performance as Marge Gunderson in Fargo, in 1996...
and William Forsythe
William Forsythe (actor)
William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
. It deals with a family problems of wayward youth and set against a man trying to break free of his past. It was directed by Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones
Michael Caton-Jones is the director of such films as Scandal, Rob Roy, Memphis Belle and The Jackal...
. It is based on the story of Vincent LaMarca
Vincent LaMarca
Vincent Anthony LaMarca is a former police detective. His story was adapted to the film City by the Sea, where he was portrayed by Robert De Niro. LaMarca currently lives in Florida.-References:...
.
Plot
Vincent LaMarca (Robert De NiroRobert De Niro
Robert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
) is a veteran street cop and the son of an executed killer. While his father did not intend to kill the child he kidnapped, the son reaps the reputation anyway and decides to be so good that he is beyond reproach. Meanwhile, his own son Joey LaMarca (James Franco
James Franco
James Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
), a drug user with fading memories of athletic high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
glory, gets wrapped up in a drug-related killing and, with no other choice, asks his estranged father for help. Joey suddenly comes to the attention of Vincent's current girlfriend Michelle (Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand
Frances Louise McDormand is an American film and stage actress. She has starred in a number of films, including her Academy Award-winning performance as Marge Gunderson in Fargo, in 1996...
), who asks Vincent why he is not going to help his son. Vincent has tried so hard to distance himself from his past that he cannot accept any intrusion into his contentment. Then Joey's girlfriend Gina (Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku
Eliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
), who struggles to stay sober for her and Joey's infant son Angelo, comes into Vincent's life, asking him to save Joey. She later escapes, leaving the child with Vincent. Joey gets deeper into trouble when the local drug enforcer Spyder (William Forsythe
William Forsythe (actor)
William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
) kills Vincent's cop partner Reg (George Dzundza
George Dzundza
George Dzundza is an American television and film actor.-Personal life:Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian father and Polish mother who were forced into factory labour by the Nazis. He spent the first few years of his life in displaced persons camps with his parents and one...
) who was helping Vincent clear Joey's name, and the murder is pinned on Joey. In the end, Vincent sets aside his self-imposed isolation and helps save his son.
Cast
- Robert De NiroRobert De NiroRobert De Niro, Jr. is an American actor, director and producer. His first major film roles were in Bang the Drum Slowly and Mean Streets, both in 1973...
as Vincent LaMarcaVincent LaMarcaVincent Anthony LaMarca is a former police detective. His story was adapted to the film City by the Sea, where he was portrayed by Robert De Niro. LaMarca currently lives in Florida.-References:... - Frances McDormandFrances McDormandFrances Louise McDormand is an American film and stage actress. She has starred in a number of films, including her Academy Award-winning performance as Marge Gunderson in Fargo, in 1996...
as Michelle - James FrancoJames FrancoJames Edward Franco is an American actor, film director, producer, screenwriter, author, painter, performance artist and instructor at New York University. He left college in order to pursue acting and started off his career by making guest appearances on television series in the 1990s...
as Joey LaMarca - Eliza DushkuEliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress known for her television roles, including recurring appearances as Faith on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series Angel. She starred in two Fox series, Tru Calling and Dollhouse...
as Gina - William ForsytheWilliam Forsythe (actor)William Forsythe is an American actor, known for playing "tough guy" roles. He is also a writer, and has several short stories that are set to be published.-Early life:...
as Spyder - George DzundzaGeorge DzundzaGeorge Dzundza is an American television and film actor.-Personal life:Dzundza was born in Rosenheim, Germany, to a Ukrainian father and Polish mother who were forced into factory labour by the Nazis. He spent the first few years of his life in displaced persons camps with his parents and one...
as Reg Duffy - Patti LuPonePatti LuPonePatti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
as Maggie - Anson MountAnson MountAnson Adams Mount IV is an American actor who has appeared in both movies and television shows. Mount has also played Jim Steele on the short-lived NBC series Conviction and appeared in the independent movie Tully with Julianne Nicholson, as the title character Tully Coates, a playboy whose ways...
as Dave Simon - John DomanJohn DomanJohn Doman is an American actor best known for playing Deputy Police Commissioner William Rawls on HBO series The Wire from 2002 to 2008 and Colonel Edward Galson on Oz in 2001....
as Henderson - Brian Tarantina as Snake
- Drena De NiroDrena De NiroDrena De Niro is an American actress and producer. She is the daughter of actress Diahnne Abbott, and adopted daughter of Robert De Niro, whose last name she took upon her mother's marriage to him in 1976...
as Vanessa Hansen - Nestor SerranoNestor SerranoNestor Serrano is an American film and television actor. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law.Serrano began his acting career in off-Broadway plays in the late 1970s. His first film was the 1986 Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit...
as Rossi - Michael P. MoranMichael P. MoranMichael Peter Moran was an American actor and playwright.Moran was born in Yuba City, California, but his family moved frequently because his father was a US Army officer. While his family was living in Cedar Grove, New Jersey, he graduated from Passaic Valley Regional High School in Little Falls...
as Herb - Michael Della Femina as Angelo LaMarca (Vincent's father)
- Dominick Angelo and Pasquale Enrico Cangro as Baby Angelo (Joey and Gina's son)