The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984) User Reviews (73)

Good acting and gritty atmosphere the stars of this film

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 7 October 2008]

Mickey Rourke is "The Pope of Greenwich Village" in this 1984 film also starring Eric Roberts, Geraldine Page, Kenneth McMillan, Darryl Hannah and Burt Young. Rourke is Charlie, who, with his cousin Paulie, rob a mobster with the help of a safecracker (McMillan). Both Rourke and Roberts are in fine form against the New York background. Everything about this film is seedy. The detectives all look out of shape and overtired, everybody has smoker's skin or a drinker's red nose. As Charlie, Rourke wants a big score so he can buy a restaurant, but his fatal flaw is listening to his idiotic cousin Paulie, a total loser and a weakling, who gets him involved in the robbery of a vicious mobster where a cop is killed at the scene. The attractive Rourke uses his sweet smile to good advantage and underplays; it's a shame he underwent such severe plastic surgery and took his career off track. Roberts plays Paulie as completely pathetic, so pathetic that at times, he's funny, even when his circumstances aren't.

The mob movies were in their heyday when "The Pope of Greenwich Village" was made, so it probably got lost in the shuffle. It's not a big film, but the acting and locations are impressive. Look for Geraldine Page in a small but showy role as the dead cop's mother, a woman who can handle the police better than anyone.

Deserves to be better remembered

[haildevilman · 8/10 · 14 September 2006]

Rourke & Roberts pre-fame.

Charlie Moran (Rourke) seemed more like an Irish hood instead of an Italian. Rourke basically set a trend on the type of characters he plays. He's basically re-did this role again and again. And why not? He's great at it.

Eric Roberts is a chronic over actor. But unlike most, he can be so entertaining. Watching him chew the scenery here was the most fun. The whole "He should die, die, die...." scene after they get fired in the beginning is still a corker.

Daryl Hannah is not the best actress, but she seemed to thrive here as Charlie's straight girlfriend.

And kudos to Walsh, Young, McMillan (R.I.P), and the brilliant Geraldine Page (also R.I.P) for their roles. Page almost stole the film.

And I think Bedbug Eddie (Young) was based on the late NYC mafia leader Fat Tony Salerno. He also conducted most of his business in a no frills back room. He also didn't drink.

Good character study.

To those who commented in the negative

[blennon · 8/10 · 27 December 2004]

Nonsense. Rourke was a character actor at time of filming. OK, the beating of the refrigerator was drawn out, as was the De Niro impression (come over here. Come over here. Come over her. OK. Don't come over here.) What was he ever going to do but that though? In those days he idolised the great Bobby. Roberts - Shining hour. Never equalled this or came close. It's one of those defining moments where it did show he *can* act. Why he became the pretty boy (or sometimes ugly boy) muscle bound, high-kicking hero is still a mystery to me. I'd rather see him continue in what is a proved ability. If the took my thumb sequence does not convince any member on here that this boy can act then e-mail me to discuss. One of my favourite films of the '80s and one I go back to over and over again. 8/10 Over to you.

Underrated buddy movie with superb performances from Rourke and Roberts.

[Infofreak · 12 July 2003]

Watching 'The Pope Of Greenwich Village' almost twenty years after it was released you can't but help think a)what a great movie it is, and b)what the hell happened to Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts, two of the most exciting actors of the 1980s? Rourke drifted off into boxing and b-grade action movies, and apart from some great cameos in movies by Sean Penn, Steve Buscemi and Vincent Gallo ('The Pledge', 'The Animal Factory', 'Buffalo '66' respectively) has almost been forgotten by the current generation of movie fans, and Roberts has also made way too many bad straight to video action films and is regarded as a joke by most people. It's so sad what happened to their careers, but this movie sees them both at their peak, and boy, they were both GREAT actors! The movie is directed by Stuart Rosenberg who made my all time favourite movie 'Cool Hand Luke' back in the 1960s, and Michael Cimino ('The Deerhunter') also worked on it uncredited. I don't know if this means it was a troubled shoot, I don't know the background details, but if that's the case it certainly doesn't show on screen. Some people find this movie too rambling and anecdotal, but I loved it. It's a superior character driven buddy movie (which reminds me in places of Cimino's earlier overlooked 'Thunderbolt And Lightfoot'). Rourke and Roberts are dynamite together, and I would recommend this movie for them alone, but the supporting cast includes a credible turn from Daryl Hannah and a whole bunch of great character actors - M. Emmett Walsh, Burt Young, Val Avery, Jack Kehoe, and especially Kenneth McMillan (who later appeared with Roberts in another great "forgotten" 1980s movie 'Runaway Train') who plays a heartbreaking role as the poor guy who gets enmeshed in Roberts and Rourke's doomed robbery plan. 'The Pope Of Greenwich Village' deserves to be rediscovered. Any film buff who appreciates good acting will enjoy it, and youngsters who aren't aware of Mickey Rourke, or who regard Eric Roberts as little more than a figure of fun should check it out and be amazed.

Paulie and Charlie are two cousins without even a whole brain between them!

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 21 November 2021]

Paulie and Charlie (Eric Roberts and Mickey Rourke) are two very dim hustlers...hustlers who don't want to work for a living but who chase get rich quick schemes...often illegal ones at that. These gangster wannabes are also cousins and between the two of them, there isn't a lot of common sense!

Eventually, they end up getting in over their heads...something you can't help but expect from these mooks! They get a partner and commit a burglary...a caper that goes VERY wrong. First, the place ends up being owned by the mob....oops! Second, during the burglary, a cop accidentally gets killed! So, you can only assume that sooner or later they'll end up in prison or at the bottom of the Hudson River! Can the pair manage, somehow, to avoid either fate?

When I say that the pair are dim, it's not an insult to the actors...this is just the way their parts were written. Robert, in particular, is a fine character actor and I enjoyed see him, curly perm and all, in the film. I must say, however, that he's best in roles as villains. 'Nuff said about that. So is this any good? Yes, though you do find it hard to root for anyone in the film. After all, Charlie and Paulie are jerks and it's hard to sympathize with them. And for some, this might make the story tough to stick with...though it is well written and well made. Never dull and only occasionally misses the mark.

By the way, Paulie's plans to use artificial insemination to breed race horses is one that is impossible. I learned this from a friend in the horse racing industry. To become a registered thoroughbred and eligible to race, a horse cannot be the product of artificial insemination nor embryo transfer....a way, I assume, that they'll keep the industry more exclusive.

Over-long and ends too soon

[Groverdox · 6/10 · 22 May 2021]

"The Pope of Greenwich Village" is one of those movies about "ethnic" guys in New York City who talk really quickly and often repeat themselves. They have big hair, dress better than you'd expect, preen in the mirror, but always seem on the verge of violence.

I guess Scorsese made a cottage industry for himself with these types of movies. Probably it could never be done better than "Mean Streets" or "Goodfellas". The guy who made this one, Stuart Rosenberg, is no Scorsese, and the movie is way over-long.

It feels especially lengthy being that the material is so familiar: a down-on-his-luck working class boy has a ne'er-do-well cousin who tempts him with one big score that ends up deadly when the two clueless lads rob a local mobster, played by Burt Young.

Eric Roberts is a great actor, albeit one with no interest in quality control, but he may have been miscast here. As the cousin he evinces no sympathy, and just seems like a slimeball. Rourke, however, as our protagonist, is right on the money.

With movies like this it's always interesting to see how many of the actors who played wiseguys ended up in "The Sopranos", which seemed to use basically every actor who ever had big hair and a leather jacket on screen. What's interesting is that with this movie, I only counted two - I believe I saw Frank Vincent, who played Phil Leotardo, and of course Burt Young.

The movie comes together with one pretty good scene, but then ends at a moment where the plot should probably keep going. It's an odd affair, an over-long movie that ends too soon.

Great cast and superb acting.

[delzooland · 7/10 · 7 October 2008]

Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts gets the chance to really shine. Two young up n coming actors who both put in a great performance. It is fantastic to see these two really get in to their parts. What we get to see is actors withe pure talent at their bests.Even Daryl Hannah is really strong. Even down to the smallest part the movie is great casted. This is a must for everyone who loves great acting! Geraldine Page was nominated for best supporting actress, other smaller parts include M. Emmet Walsh, Burt Young(Oscar nominated for Rocky), Jack Kehoe (known from The Sting and Serpico) and many many more. With New York City as a backdrop for the story, this is almost as god as it gets. A classic!

great acting and set-up, too bad there's no ending

[jjjj · 6/10 · 5 June 2022]

Roberts and Rourke and Geraldine Page are stellar here, and the concept - yet another De Niro/ goodfellas etc. Homage - is fine as far as it goes.

You might wish they knew where they wanted to go with it, though.

After the standard caper setup and the standard caper-misfire the movie mostly just runs out the clock.

A Must See for all Italians!

[caspian1978 · 9/10 · 6 September 2004]

Not your typical mobster movie, the Pope of Greenwich Village does have a good Sinatra soundtrack. The cool style that was 1984 is showcased in this movie. The hair styles, the clothes, the music, even the cool walk is present in this movie. One of Eric Roberts best movies, his acting is second to none as the fast talking, fast walking, and scared out of his mind side kick / cousin to Mickey Rourke. The "thumb scene" alone is timeless. It is both scary and funny, most movies can't produce a scene with as much realism as "Charlie....they took my thumb. Overall, the Pope of Greenwich Village is a comedy, but at times, it is dramatic and as serious as a heart attack. A classic for the 80's, sit back and enjoy Rourke, Roberts, Young and Hannah when they were on top of the world...and on top of Hollywood.

Roberts was SO annoying! BUT.. just watch

[allisonmecham · 6/10 · 20 January 2020]

Okay here is my take..

Premise... awesome! I was in from the start.

Story.. original.. again I'm in!

Actors/Actresses.. please God, stop Eric Roberts!

Overall.. just watch it

Unwatchable Because Eric Roberts Is Unwatchable

[dtrobb · 3/10 · 22 June 2020]

Good script. Great on location Lower Manhattan setting. Great acting by everyone not named - wait for it - Eric Roberts. Can't believe other reviewers say he turned in an outstanding acting performance. It's a funny world, I guess. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla. Never met Eric Roberts. Have nothing against him. Totally neutral about his acting in his other movies that I've seen. Not that I can think of any. But, dang, way to ruin a potentially great movie here, bro.

One Of The Best Films Of The 80's

[Pete-135 · 10/10 · 27 October 1999]

Fans of this film have no problem quoting the dialogue word for word. The acting by the entire cast is brilliant. Mickey Rourke gives an outstanding performance, and I'd put his acting in this film up against any other performances by great actors.

If you haven't seen this, you've got to rent it. I think it's become an overlooked film.

Pretty good

[zetes · 7/10 · 17 May 2015]

Pretty entertaining, low-key crime flick. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts play two going-nowhere punks in NYC. Roberts in particular works as a waiter in a club for gangsters and wishes he could be more like them. He overhears things, and picks up some information that he thinks could lead him and his cousin/best buddy Rourke to big money. Of course, everything goes wrong (you'd have to be nuts to try to commit a crime with nutjob Eric Roberts by your side). Rourke is a bit of an overactor, but looks extremely subtle next to Roberts. As bad an actor as Roberts is, though, there's some crazy there that always makes me kind of like his performances. Geraldine Page has a small role and got nominated for an Oscar for it. This is an example of an aging star giving a serviceable character actor performance, and it's nothing special. My choice for best in show would actually be Daryl Hannah as Rourke's girlfriend. She has a couple of really good scenes. Kenneth McMillan is also good as the Irish safe cracker Rourke and Roberts hook up with, and Rocky's Burt Young is good as the mob boss they're ripping off. M. Emmet Walsh also co-stars but doesn't get much to do.

The Dopes of Greenwich Village !!!

[dimasodbowie · 2/10 · 24 November 2019]

It's Idiotic Performances By Non Italians like Rourke and Roberts trying their worst to stir up every typical sterotypical Italian image possible.

Evocative Tale of Two Promoters,.

[rmax304823 · 7/10 · 21 July 2008]

Nobody would accuse this tale of being taut. It meanders around sufficiently that we get to know the characters, their families, their values -- and therein lies its charm. Eric Roberts is Pauli, the reckless Italian optimist, and Mickey Rourke is his more sensible, principled Irish cousin. The milieu is New York City and it is captured most impressively. These two street proletarians -- waiters and busboys -- ooze with the desire to own a Coupe deVille. Roberts brags that he never ordered a brandy that wasn't Courvoisier VSOP. Their ambition and their taste are palpable. I say this despite having grown up in the area without the slightest desire to live their life styles and lacking any intense affection for Frank Sinatra.

Basically, the plot is a cross-cousin of "Mean Streets", with Rourke in the Harvey Keitel role and Roberts as the maniacal DeNiro. Not to suggest that this is an imitation of anything else. The writer, Vincent Patrick, has street lingo down pat, even to the smallest parts, and Stuart Rosemberg has executed it flawlessly. Even "mozarella" comes out properly as "moozarell." The two cousins alternately joke and fight with one another, depending on their position on the regression line between Robert's wild schemes and Rourke's more banal impulses. Roberts puts a "horse physic" in the drink of a ruthless cop. He engineers a lucrative burglary with the help of Rourke and a locksmith, Kenneth MacMillan, that results in the accidental death of a corrupt police officer, Jack Kehoe, whose only motive for being corrupt was to make enough money to move him and his sickly mother, Geraldine Page, to Phoenix in order to improve her health. (As I said, the script meanders, but meaningfully.) Geraldine Page gives a fine performance, by the way, as the self-destructive tough-as-nails street-savvy Mom.

The money from the burglary belonged to the neighborhood Mr. Big, a villainous and revengeful Burt Young, who forces MacMillan to leave his family and blow town. He also removes one of Eric Roberts' digits. And just as he is having a duel of wits with the third party to the crime, Rourke, Roberts feeds Burt Young a cup of espresso filled with lye. The poisoned Young leaps through the storefront window and runs off down the street. The last shot has Roberts and Rourke strolling off, carefree, down the street, arguing about whether it would be better to live in Miami. That's a bit of a weak ending. Given Burt Young's vengeful nature and his position in the organization, I wouldn't give two cents for either of their well-clad behinds. If they wind up as lowly waiters again they'll be lucky.

Well, I suppose I've made the film sounds like a terrible tragedy, but it's not. The street lingo and many of the incidents make it as much comic as anything else. One of Roberts' schemes has to do with betting a bundle on a horse that absolutely cannot lose. But Roberts' knows as little about racing as he does about keeping out of trouble. He's confused about which part of a stallion must be removed to turn it into a gelding. He's concerned about the colors of the jockey because it makes him look like a fairy. Roberts bets the whole shebang on a win, and the horse loses in a photo finish. The more prudent Rourke has made twenty large by betting on the horse across the board.

It's a pretty good movie, full of well-drawn colorful characters and considerable suspense and humor.

"There are things I can take care of, you know."

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 9 August 2021]

To hear high praise for Eric Roberts in a movie is a rare occurrence, but he really deserves it here for his portrayal of smarmy con man Paulie Gibboni. Trying to stay one step ahead of his buddy Charlie Moran (Mickey Rourke) and the gangster he figures on robbing, Roberts' performance is at the same time annoyingly pushy and disturbingly self destructive. Rourke's character is only slightly more balanced, but his hunger for a big payoff sends his pregnant girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) in search of a better life after the one big score that threatens to unravel and rain down retribution from mob boss Eddie 'Bed Bug' Grant (Burt Young). Now I don't know if it's just me, but it seemed like the money they stole with the help of hot shot safecracker Barney (Kenneth McMillan) was limitless in scope. I'm pretty sure I caught Barney counting out and taking his cut of the loot, amounting to fifty grand, but later on, Charlie claims to mail a package to the guy with another fifty thousand after he high tailed it out of town to avoid the mob's wrath. But Charlie's girlfriend took off with most of his share, and Paulie had his money, so where did the extra cash come from? Could be Charlie was lying about it, but if so, it didn't make sense.

A bonus for this viewer was the scene where Charlie and Diane left the city to scope out a potential restaurant for sale upstate. The Iron Forge Inn is in the next town over from where I live in Warwick, New York, only about seven or eight miles away. I never knew about this bit of trivia, so it came at me as quite the surprise. What wasn't a surprise is how the mob guys got Paulie to rat out his fellow robbers, though unlike most films involving gangsters, both wound up with their necks safely intact. And with only a few minutes left in the story, the title of the picture comes into focus in that conversation between Charlie and Bed Bug Eddie. And if you haven't seen the movie, believe me when I tell you, the aftermath of Paulie slipping lye into Eddie's coffee leads to one of the most over the top, and I'll say, hilarious death scenes in the annals of gangster flicks.

Book ended by Sinatra's 'Summer Wind', "The Pope of Greenwich Village" deserves a wider IMDb audience, as it only has a paltry sixty plus reviews as I come by it. You'll never come across a pair of goombah buddies like Rourke and Roberts, both looking impossibly young, and conniving their way through the story for all it's worth.

With Family Like Paulie...

[view_and_review · 7/10 · 3 January 2020]

Do you have a dumb or irresponsible cousin whose antics affect him and those around him? Paulie (Eric Roberts) was that guy. Everything Paulie did was wrong and it always seemed to affect his cousin Charlie (Mickey Rourke).

For a good chunk of The Pope of Greenwich Village I was sour. It looked like another Italian mafia movie with caricatures named Vinnie, Paulie, Sally, and other nicknames. I was thinking, "Haven't we seen enough mafia movies about "rats," "stand up guys," and "the family?" And this one wasn't even worthwhile largely due to Paulie and his string of screw ups.

Then something weird happened. Paulie grew on me. Like a benign tumor that you eventually give a name, Paulie grew on me. I was suddenly interested in his welfare and his relationship with his cousin Charlie. Would they finally get it right or would they go down in a ball of flames? I actually began to care and I actually wanted to know. There had to be something there if the movie succeeded in turning me around.

TPoGV was an exceptional movie after all.

A great movie

[JasparLamarCrabb · 6/10 · 9 June 2007]

SPOILER ALERT! Aside from COOL HAND Luke, this is the best film Stuart Rosenberg ever directed. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts are a couple of losers with big dreams (Rourke wants to open his own restaurant) who run afoul of both the mob and the law after committing a robbery in which crooked cop is accidentally killed. Rosenberg handles his actors very well with Rourke giving a particularly exceptional performance. His scenes with not only Roberts, but Daryl Hannah are terrific. Roberts, on the other hand, overacts a lot...taking his wacko role in STAR 80 and acting even creepier. He's not helped at all by the creepy perm he dons. You really can't ask for a better supporting cast: Kenneth MacMillan, Burt Young, and, best of all, Geraldine Page as the quintessential tough-as-nails, Irish/American mother. Her brief scenes are real showstoppers. She justly deserved her Oscar nomination!

What's not to love about this film?

[Miryea · 9/10 · 21 June 2001]

This was a great film to watch. Finding it in the action-section of the videostore, and seeing the cover, I was kinda afraid it would be just another fast-firing action movie. It sure wasn't. Indeed, this film is a story of character, and it is done so well!!!

The story is well written, with great understanding of the characters, and I feel that the same goes for the actors. They seem to understand their characters, and really carry them out. With that I'd have to give just a little more praise to Eric Roberts, than to Mickey Rourke. Both have before and since then proven that they are capable enough, despite their disappointing careers, and, truth be told, some less performances. But the character of Charlie is really a likable guy. He is the voice of reason of the film, the one we would all like to think we recognize in ourselves. While Paulie, on the other hand, is a different story. Portrayed any differently, he could very well be an ass. I mean, if you knew anybody that set you up, cost you your job, didn't ever listen to you, rat you out, lied to you... Would you like that person? Probably not. But Charlie likes Paulie, and the only thing that makes that believable, is the fact that WE like Paulie. Roberts somehow accomplishes to create this totally unreliable character that you just can't help but adore, and sometimes feel sorry for. He's a moron, but he's sweet and he means well, kinda. He looks up to Charlie, who really hasn't accomplished much more in his life, he just carries it better.

And poor Paulie is so annoying that he is endearing. I almost felt his pain when he was being 'interrogated'. Hilarious hairdo, by the way. For Rourke, this was not any new territory, he played this type of character more often. That doesn't mean he didn't do it fabulously, though, he did. Nothing new, but still good. Indeed one of the best performances of his career. That shows you that award shows mean nothing.

Page is also very good, and rightly recognized for it, and Daryl Hannah can't act, but you can't really blame her for trying anyway, since she seems to be getting away with it. And the poor girl really tries.

Rourke's favourite film to work on....

[antmane · 7/10 · 27 October 2009]

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 precedes 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 likable 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 didn't 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 surprise 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...

Nothing Infallible About This Pope

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 25 February 2010]

The Pope Of Greenwich Village is a film that absolutely I can't decide about. I love it for some of the acting, especially Eric Roberts as this hopelessly stupid schemer. But I'm not sure if the makers of this film intended it to be a comedy or a serious drama. It really falls somewhere in between and doesn't come up for air.

I also cannot believe Mickey Rourke's character. He seems intelligent enough, but how he can get involved with this cousin who is not only beyond stupid, but a liar and a con artist to boot?

This latest scheme that Roberts has is a real beauty. He's going to steal some money out of an easy to crack safe and bet it on a horse that he has a really good tip on. That's bad enough, but of course he doesn't tell his partners Kenneth McMillan and Rourke that not only does the money belong to the local Mafia head Burt Young. And it's to be used as police payoff money. So we've got crooks and crooked cops looking for the perpetrators.

The main reason to see The Pope Of Greenwich Village is Roberts. Because you cannot believe how anyone can lie and cheat and doublecross people and have lived as far as he has. Geraldine Page as the mother of a cop killed accidentally (yes accidentally) during the robbery got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but the film such as it is belongs to Eric Roberts.

The film does have some nice location cinematography in Greenwich Village and Little Italy. This is not the Bohemian Village nor is it the Gay Mecca that it is now known for. This is the Greenwich Village that elected Carmine DiSapio, the last great boss of Tammany Hall as its Democratic leader. Little Italy has shrunk considerably, but it's still there.

But after you watch it, mesmerized as you are by Roberts, you'll be scratching your head wondering just exactly what did you see?

An Excellent,Underrated And Overlooked Crime Drama With Brilliant Performances By Mickey Rourke And Eric Roberts.

[jcbutthead86 · 10/10 · 3 February 2014]

The Pope Of Greenwich Village is an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that combines great direction,amazing performances from Mickey Rourke,Eric Roberts and a terrific supporting cast,a fantastic script and a outstanding film score that make The Pope Of Greenwich an entertaining and memorable film that is Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts at their best.

Based on the novel of the same name by Vincent Patrick and set in the Greenwich Village section of New York,The Pope Of Greenwich Village tells the story of cousins Charlie(Mickey Rourke)and Paulie(Eric Roberts)two guys who have big ambitions Charlie wants to have his own restaurant and Paulie a schemer that wants to make money but the two have financial troubles. With no other options,Charlie and Paulie with the help of clock repairman and locksmith Barney(Kenneth McMillian)decide to rob a safe at a local business. When the robbery goes wrong Charlie and Paulie have to deal Italian Mob Boss Bed Bug Eddie(Burt Young)as well as the cops in order to get out of danger.

Released in 1984,The Pope Of Greenwich Village is a brilliant Crime Drama while earning decent reviews from critics and receiving an Oscar nomination wasn't a hit at the Box Office and didn't get much attention from movie audiences at the time. But,thankfully overtime The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status throughout the years and is not only seen as a great Crime Drama but is also seen as one of the most underrated movies of the 1980s. I think that one of the reasons The Pope Of Greenwich Village has found Cult status and is an entertaining film is because the film gives viewers a different kind of Crime Drama that combines Crime Drama,Gangster Film and a Buddy Movie and gives the movie not only a incredible energy that keeps you glued to the screen for 121 minutes. What I also like about The Pope Of Greenwich Village is that despite having all of the trademark elements of Crime Dramas such as vicious Criminals,Gangsters,Cops as well as common elements including violence and betrayal,the story in POGV is handled with a great balance of dark and light elements with the dark elements being the Drama,Gangsters and violence and the light elements being the Comedy and Humor showing the friendship and antics of Charlie and Paulie or Paulie by himself which is funny and at times over the top. Another thing that I like about POGV is the authentic feel of the film whether it's the New York locations throughout the city or neighborhoods or the characters and their streetwise attitudes that don't feel forced or fake but real and accurate. The New York locations and attitudes of the characters at times reminded me of Martin Scorsese's classic Gangster Films such as Goodfellas and Mean Streets(a film that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is often compared to)and like Scorsese's New York City Crime Dramas,POGV brings you into a world that is dangerous,violent and at times funny and you are absorbed and mesmerized. The screenplay by Vincent Patrick(adapted from his own novel)is terrific and well-written with Patrick giving the characters dialog that is tough and gritty as well as rich and amazing with most of the characters having depth and power. Patrick also has great scenes in the film that are memorable and truly unforgettable and match the world and tone that The Pope Of Greenwich Village is showing. Like I said before POGV is a buddy movie and it is very true with the main characters Charlie and Paulie because even if the characters aren't always likable we relate to the two because like a lot of people in the world they are both dreamers and have big aspirations to get what they want whether it's owning a restaurant or making money. While Charlie and Paulie have problems with each other they are still family and care about one another even when bad things are happening all around them and it is the relationship between Charlie and Paulie is one of the things that drives the film and is the film because it's funny,real and true to life. The ending of The Pope Of Greenwich Village is amazing,funny and surprising and leaves with a smile feeling like everything will be alright for Charlie and Paulie in the long run. A great ending.

The whole cast is outstanding. Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts are excellent and at their best as Charlie and Paulie,with Rourke bringing a coolness and charisma and Roberts being funny and over the top and the two have great scenes and chemistry together. Daryl Hannah does a wonderful job as Diane,Charlie's girlfriend. Geraldine Page earned a best supporting Actress Oscar Nomination for her small but terrific performance as Mrs. Ritter,Bunky's Mother. Kenneth McMillan is outstanding as Barney,a locksmith that helps Charlie and Paulie. Burt Young is fantastic and menacing as Bed Bug Eddie,a vicious Gangster. M. Emmett Walsh is great as always in his small role as Burns,a New York cop. Tony Mustaine is effective as Uncle Pete,Paulie's Uncle. Jack Kehoe is sensational as Bunky,a New York Cop.

The direction by Stuart Rosenberg is great,with Rosenberg with Rosenberg doing a simple but effective job and sometimes moving the camera and giving the movie a great style and pace. Wonderful job,Rosenberg.

The score by Dave Grusin is fantastic,moody,dramatic and light and matches the tone of the film perfectly. Great score,Grusin. There is also a memorable use of Frank Sinatra's classic song Summer Wind which is used a few times in the film.

In final word,if you love Crime Dramas,Gangster Films,Mickey Rourke or Eric Roberts,I highly suggest you see The Pope Of Greenwich Village,an excellent,underrated and overlooked Crime Drama that is Rourke and Roberts at their best. Highly Recommended. 10/10.

Sharp and Witty

[sbulger · 7/10 · 1 September 1999]

Clearly the best performances of the otherwise disappointing careers of Micky Rourke and Eric Roberts. (With the possible exception of "Angel Heart" for Rourke) Sharp witty dialogue and a clever plot made this a very enjoyable feature when I first saw it in 1984. I'm still waiting for it to be released on DVD to add it to my collection.

What a hilarious performance!

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 8 June 2015]

Charlie (Mickey Rourke) is a slick restaurant manager who dreams of owning his own restaurant. His petty criminal cousin Paulie (Eric Roberts) is a waiter. The owner discovers Paulie stealing and fires both of them. Paulie has a scheme to break into a safe. He brings in locksmith Barney and a reluctant Charlie. A cop is killed in the heist. They steal $150k. Charlie is besides himself that Paulie kept the fact that the money belongs to mob boss Bed Bug Eddie (Burt Young) from him. Charlie's girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) tells him that she's pregnant.

Wow! What a performance! The DVD comes with supposed praises like "Explosively funny." (LA Times) and "high-voltage movie that produces tears of laughter" (NY Daily News). The problem is that the movie doesn't come with jokes. The unintentional hilarity all comes from the ridiculous over-the-top Eric Roberts performance. It is an incredible thing to behold and crazier than Al Pacino's Scarface. It almost comes off as a spoof of a gangster movie. One should see this to believe it. I almost didn't believe it.