A Bronx Tale

De Niro makes his directorial debut in this gritty drama about the struggle of a father to protect his son from the influence of a local gangster. Coming from a rough neighbourhood myself part of me watched this film through my own father's eyes. I can imagine his concern to preserve my innocence and protect me from bad influences while trying to respect my own individuality and freedom to choose. It's a moral tightrope that most parents have to face. Robert De Niro gives a understated but powerful performance as a decent working class family man trying guide his son, Calogero, through the pitfalls and dangers of living in the Bronx, most notably in the form of Chazz Palminteri who plays the local mob boss, Sonny. Calogero is the son that Sonny never had and he tries in his own limited and streetwise way to be a good father figure. The polarization of De Niro and Palminteri works really well in the film, with young Calogero in the middle, not quite sure of things as many teenagers are at that age. A Bronx tale is relevant, intelligent and well directed. 8/10