Yonkers Joe April 24, 2008

2008 | 100 min | Feature Narrative

Directed by: Robert Celestino

World Premiere

Cast & Credits
Director: Robert Celestino
Principal Cast: Chazz Palminteri, Christine Lahti, Tom Guiry, Michael Lerner, Linus Roache, Michael Rispoli
Screenwriter: Robert Celestino
Producer: Trent Othick
Executive Producers: John Gaughan, Matt Othick, Phil Ivey, Chazz Palminteri, Richard DiPatri
Co-Executive Producers: Jim Click, Vince Schettier
Co-Producers: Fred David, Bill Wortman
Director of Photography: Michael Fimognari
Casting Director: Kerry Barden

Program Notes

Yonkers Joe (Chazz Palminteri) is a small-time con man and dice hustler in search of the perfect scam. He and his girlfriend Janice (Christine Lahti) cruise the local casinos in search of new ways to outwit the security cameras, but in the meantime, Joe's scams provide a steady source of income. Their comfortable lifestyle is disrupted when Yonkers Joe receives a call from the institution where his son, Joe Jr. (Tom Guiry), lives. Mentally challenged since birth, 21-year-old Joe has recently been displaying hostile and aggressive behavior toward his fellow students. As a result, he is being expelled from the institution and forced to move in with his father until new arrangements can be made.

Faced with the prospect of caring for his son or paying for him to live in an expensive group home, Yonkers Joe begins to formulate a plan to execute the scam of his lifetime. With his winnings, he hopes to be able to take care of his son's expenses for years to come. He, Janice, and Joe Jr. travel to Las Vegas, and what unfolds tests the bonds of their relationship but also brings them together in new and unexpected ways. Bolstered by terrific performances by Palminteri, Lahti, and Guiry, Yonkers Joe tells the heartwarming story of a father and son learning to appreciate one another for their strengths as well as their weaknesses. The casino scenes are fraught with suspense, but it is the compelling bond shared by the three lead characters that resonates long after the credits have rolled.
--David Kwok

Official Website: http://www.tribecafilmfestival.org/filmguide/Yonkers_Joe.html