My wife scolds me often when I revel in the memory of a dangerous, forgotten old New York. The New York which mugged me four times. The New York where making it home after midnight on the subway was a challenge; an adventure that few dared to embark on, as the chances of survival were slim. Certain neighborhoods weren't off limits, but they should have been. Crime syndicates controlled blocks in all five boroughs, blocks where cops dared not flash a badge. As opposed to modern times, when most crime comes from City Hall or the State Senate, crime was blue collar.It was in your face, not your bank account or turning a blind eye to your skyrocketing rent.
Few films succeeded in depicting the level of lawlessness like State of Grace, from 1990. I watch a lot of terrible films, but I can only watch them one, maybe two times before the wonder is lost. I've seen this film about 30 times. State of Grace is by no means perfect; it's a little long, and after a while, you wonder if there were ANY cops in NY. Having had unmarked police cars show up at my doorstep to respond to a crime (we had been shot at) , I can vouch for its gritty accuracy. This film embraces the beginning of the end of Hell's Kitchen, the Irish mob territory now called "Clinton" (fuck that name). This is a gripping, harrowing, well acted crime drama, and I recommend it. Watch it with another of my favorites, King of New York. I'll save that post for another day.
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