The Pope Of Greenwich Village

The Pope of Greenwich Village is a stylish, funny and thoroughly entertaining film that I have always rated as one of my favourite movies that no one I know ever remembers seeing. I loved it.

It's not Oscar winning stuff but it is the kind of movie that appeals to everyone and it stands up to the test of time because of Rourke's cool and composed performance. The opening sequence, with Sinatra at his absolute best, crooning in the background, is so memorable and sets the tone for the rest of the movie beautifully. The dialogue has some truly memorable lines from 'Ma, you want I should put on your game show' which just sums up how meaningless this woman's life has become, to quotes about Moo-zzarella being like shoe-leather. I won't give away more but after almost 15 years, I can still recite many of the lines. I am renting it again so that my son can finally understand what I've been on about all these years.

This is a fun film and it is hard to understand how anyone could not enjoy it.

Warning, this film contains Eric Roberts, and he's in it. A LOT. All the way through it in fact. Horrific. Avoid.

The story of two unlucky cousins inspired to do anything to obtain a little lucky success, set against an odd, yet lovable soundtrack. Rourke describes this film as the one 'he had the most fun working on', a film which preceeds his turbulent career downfall and his sad loss of beauty. Eric Roberts, Julia's once-estranged brother plays the role of Paulie, a dumb, easily led yet strangely likeable character who's echoes of 'Charleeee' will be inprinted in your mind every time you think of this film. This is the first 80s film I have seen featuring Daryl Hannah, in fact the first film other than the Kill Bill films I have seen her in. Her looks and figure in the 1980s were darn near perfection, how she didnt break out into a full on A-Lister based on natural looks alone baffles me. Ultimately there is something I find fascinating about watching Mickey Rourke 1980s films, perhaps it is because he was so near to full blown stardom before he ruined it all, perhaps it is the suprise at just how ugly he has managed to become, to the point of being virtually unrecognizable. Overall The Pope of Greenwich Village is a film featuring two rogues who you cant help but love with a storyline you should really hate, but somehow end up loving. So the same applies to the soundtrack, the cast and everything else involved in the film then...

Wanted to see this movie for a long while as i'd heard loads about its 'Cult' status, and with the new Micky Rourke movie out soon ( The Wrestler????), it seemed the perfect time to add it to my film list.....

......shouldn't have bothered!!

This movie has dated very badly in both its style and content and doesn't chug along like it should do considering this type of tale has been done better, before and after. Brian DePalma's 'Carlito's Way' seems to tread along the same story line in many ways (last chance to get away, wayward friend/cousin, trying to beat the system) and seems to owe a lot to it, but has none of the visual flare, on the nose dialogue and dramatic suspense of Carlito. In fact, it seems that 'Pope' plays out like a slightly edgey 'Ironside'....which is never a great compliment.

Strictly for those who like Daryll Hanna in 80's Aerobics gear and Rourke fans sick of 9 1/2 weeks.