City Island directed and written by Raymond DeFelitta opens April 16. The movie stars Andy Garcia (Vince Rizzo), Julianna Marguiles (Joyce- Vince’s wife), Dominik Garcia-Lorido (Vince’s daughter in the movie and a tid-bit of trivia; she’s Garcia’s biological daughter off the screen!), Steven Strait (Tony) along with Emily Mortimer and Alan Arkin. Garcia also served as one of the film’s producers.
City Island really does exist; it’s a borough of the Bronx, as the lights of New York City sparkle against the horizon at sunset on Eastchester Bay. The population is segmented into “clam diggers” those born and raised over countless generations and in most cases, living in the same family home passed down or “muscle suckers” those that move there, but don’t really count! Their mannerisms, their cadence, their Bronx shouts-yells and hollers throughout the house or at the dinner table prompted the audience to laugh out loud and at the same time, feel a bit uncomfortable witnessing this dysfunctional family.
The premise of this comedic film is pretty easy. Each of us has secrets that we’ve held close to our heart or buried deep in our minds, hoping they’d never be revealed; only to find that life is a lot easier when the realities of truth are realized versus suppression that tumbles us into personal angst with a heavy price to pay for silence.
Try as we might, but in the end, truth must float to the surface to embrace those around us that we love and ourselves. And without giving ANYTHING away, I will leave you with a paraphrased quote that sums up what quantifies our secrets as Garcia (Vince) acknowledges that anything is possible when “God gives each of us a second chance.” That humility found in each of us gives us hope to finally get it right, thus profound strength in humanity is actualized.
City Island and its message is quite simple, truth, understanding and validation does set us free and liberates us to a place of internal harmony that opens the door to receive external love and acceptance and isn’t that what each of us strives for in this lifetime?
