Plot
A boy and his friends seek to join a mid-atlantic gang led by the boy's estranged father, unaware that his father's ruthlessness takes no account of family ties.
Release Year: 1986
Rating: 6.9/10 (6,031 voted)
Director:
James Foley
Stars: Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Mary Stuart Masterson
Storyline A boy and his friends seek to join a mid-atlantic gang led by the boy's estranged father, unaware that his father's ruthlessness takes no account of family ties.
Writers: Elliott Lewitt, Nicholas Kazan
Cast: Sean Penn
-
Brad Whitewood Jr.
Christopher Walken
-
Brad Whitewood Sr.
Mary Stuart Masterson
-
Terry
Chris Penn
-
Tommy Whitewood
(as Christopher Penn)
Millie Perkins
-
Julie
Eileen Ryan
-
Grandma
Tracey Walter
-
Uncle Patch Whitewood
R.D. Call
-
Dickie
David Strathairn
-
Tony Pine
J.C. Quinn
-
Boyd
Candy Clark
-
Mary Sue
Jake Dengel
-
Lester
Kiefer Sutherland
-
Tim
Stephen Geoffreys
-
Aggie
Crispin Glover
-
Lucas
Taglines:
Like father. Like son. Like hell.
Release Date: 18 April 1986
Filming Locations: Franklin, Tennessee, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $6,500,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $180,286
(USA)
(20 April 1986)
(39 Screens)
Gross: $2,347,000
(USA)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
Screenwriter Nicholas Kazan originally wrote in the script a scene in which after Brad Sr. and Brad Jr. "do laundry", Brad Sr. takes little Brad to a whorehouse. The scene was not filmed due to "reasons beyond his control".
Goofs:
Continuity:
The shotgun pellet wounds on Sean Penn's face disappear almost immediately and leave no scars.
Quotes: Jill:
You got a name? Brad Whitewood Jr.:
Brad? Jill:
You don't sound so sure.
User Review
It's in the genes.
Rating:
This raw look at small town hoods brutally exposes us to a portion of
society rarely depicted in movies. Souped-up cars and small time heists are
nothing new, but `At Close Range' is really more ‘The Godfather' than
`Bonnie and Clyde'.
Disobedient kids, worthless mom, ineffective stepfather. Every day we hear
tell of it on Montel, Jerry Springer, and Sally. Here, we see it, here we
live it.
James Foley does his best work here, you might think it funny to call a film
with a lot of 4x8 paneling and muscle shirts ‘stylish' but this film has its
own distinctive style, in many ways reminding me of Michael Mann's very
stylish `Thief'
Christopher Walken is nothing short of spectacular. Both the Penn brothers
(Sean and Chris) do very strong turns as sons of this verrry badddd
man.
Great story, powerful performances. All too real. Even a bit of a storybook
ending doesn't tarnish this one.
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