While not a well received film, it was still highly enjoyable. Visually driven (in the same vein as Miami Vice) with enough goodies to keep you interested. Unfortunately, Vincent Spano never rose above his promising career of the '80s. Original soundtrack by Nile Rodgers perfectly accompanies the film. Now onto the absurd comments by UnrealKillerGirl. I guess you must have conveniently overlooked Park Avenue? LOL! One of the most prestigious neighborhoods in the world. How 'bout Breakfast at Tiffany's, Sex & The City, The Gastineau Girls, Maid In Manhattan, Arthur, Barefoot In The Park, Autumn In New York, and a gazillion other films & TV shows that romanticize the Greatest City In The World?! Why not watch the above examples and get a more balanced view? Obviously, "Alphabet City" is merely a depiction of one neighborhood among hundreds that lie in The City That Never Sleeps. A neighborhood that is no longer riddled with crime. The NYC of today is quite a far cry from yesteryear. Since 1993, NYC has become the safest, largest city in the nation. Time Square (crossroads of the world) is one of the Top 10 family destinations in America for tourists. Yes, if you want to be bored out of your wits, by all means, stay in Dubuque! LOL! If you don't want to miss out on Broadway, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, 24/7 nightlife, Wall Street, Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island, MTV Studios in Times Square (crossroads of the world), Actors Studio, The United Nations, 5th Avenue, Yankee Stadium, Dave Letterman, SNL, Conan, Radio City Music Hall, Museum of Radio & TV, miles of food to explore from hundreds of nations, then shlep on down and quash your misconceptions! Otherwise, you will miss out on the world, because everything can be found in Gotham City! It wasn't nicknamed "The State That Has Everything" for its health! eh -D, NYC "I moved into my apartment Sept. 10. In one day I saw the worst but also the best of New York. Its people are glorious, marvelous. The best. First-run movies? We got it. Tops in theater? We got it. Ballet, opera, circus, concerts. More culture here, more in the way of arts than anywhere in the world. New York is the Athens of today" - MATT DAMON (as told to Cindy Adams of Page 6, NY Post - oldest, continuously published newspaper in America; founded by one of our founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton).."New York City has the zoo, aquarium, museums, fashion center, diamond center, U.N., Statue of Liberty; and it's got the Yanks and the Mets; and it's got every kind of food but lousy; and it's the home of the one-namers like Harrison, Dustin, Calvin, Katie, Rosie, Bianca, Bernadette, Matt, Bryant, Vanessa, Julia, Halle, Gwyneth, Donald, Ivana, Puffy" - CINDY ADAMS (Page 6, NY Post)