At close range is a 1986 american neonoir crime drama film directed by james foley, based on the real life rural pennsylvania crime family led by bruce johnston sr. This movie is really well made and a brutal story, to top it all is a real family drama. Based on a true story of mass murder in pennsylvania in 1978, at close range stars sean penn as the son of a hoodlum father christopher walken in his best film work since the deer hunter. Sean justin penn born august 17, 1960 is an american actor, director, and filmmaker. Penn, who had a black belt in karate, appeared in the 1989 motion picture best of. The walken character is ruthless, and most of the other characters in the film are weak, or deprived, or lacking in the ability to see beyond their immediate situations. Amazingly, at close range was based on a true story. The movie stars sean penn, probably the best of the younger actors, as bradford whitewood jr. Says the same article, predictably, police offered young bruce a deal if he would testify against his father before a. Christopher walken is the main attraction here make no mistake about that.
True story of an aimless pennsylvania teen who is drawn in to his. At close range 1986 stream and watch online moviefone. Based on a true story, at close range follows the lives of the whitewood family in rural pennsylvania. Sean penn, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, candy. Theres something bold about the films wealth of imagery, but it also so overstates the material of the screenplay that it eventually annihilates both it and the story, which might possibly have been moving and terrifying. Before the director had the chance to say action, penn ran off camera and shouted, give me the other gun. Anyway, madonnas soundtrack sure does nail down the era at close range was made. True story of an aimless pennsylvania teen who is drawn in to his fathers life. At close range is a solid crime drama filmed beautifully with a stacked cast who all gave solid performances. Sean penns core doing an excellent job delivering tests, says fire chief.
The following is a complete list of the filmography of american actor sean penn. At close range took place in the spring of 78 sean penns character brad jr. Madonna both sang and cowrote the song live to tell which features in the films soundtrack. And the movie doesnt include some of their worst exploits. At close range is, in my opinion, a highly underrated crime film. Christopher walken and sean penn in at close range, 1986 duration. Sean justin penn august 17, 1960 santa monica, california, usa. Sean penn and christopher walken in at close range 1986 drew barrymore at. Sean penn, robert duvall, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, crispin glover, maria conchita alonso. Sean penn joins his ruthless father christopher walken in his criminal pursuits. The 1986 drama depicts the events surrounding a crime family based in rural pennsylvania during the 1960s and 1970s.
Sean penn, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, chris penn director. He lives with his divorced mother and grandmother and half brother in a setting of shabby poverty, nonstop tv watching and boredom. Released april 18th, 1986, at close range stars sean penn, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, chris penn the r movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 51 min, and received a score of out of. With sean penn, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, chris penn. At close rangecolors dvd, 2010 for sale online ebay. He also appeared in the hit dance movie footloose in 1984 as the best friend of kevin bacons character. At close range r 1h 51min crime, drama 18 april 1986 usa in 1978 pennsylvania, an absentee father is reacquainted with his estranged teenage sons who become intrigued with his romanticized life of crime. It stars sean penn and christopher walken, with mary stuart masterson, seans brother chris penn, david strathairn, crispin glover, kiefer sutherland, and eileen ryan in supporting roles. Bruce johnston was not as charismatic as christopher walken, of course. Christopher walken and sean penn star in this much overlooked film from 1986. Sean penn and tommy chris penn are the sons of organized crime leader. Based on a true story, at close range 1986 written by nicholas kazan and directed by james foley gives us the grim tale of a rural pennsylvania crime family led by brad sr.
Intense scene between christopher walken and chris penn. At close range is based reasonably closely, too on the johnston gang that raised holy heck in the 1960s and 70s in pennsylvania. It stars sean penn and christopher walken, with mary stuart masterson. Sean penn and tommy chris penn are the sons of organized crime leader brad sr. At close range movie 1986 christopher walken, sean penn. In 1978 pennsylvania, an absentee father is reacquainted with his estranged teenage sons who become intrigued with his romanticized life of crime. Penn plays the role with the attitude of a 16 year old, who thinks hes smarter than his dad.
December 2, 2000 film based loosely on the real life events that. Sean penns 10 best movies movie and a brat pack movie at the same time, due to its unusual filmmaking choices and the cast of young actors that were or would. Few recent films have painted such a bleak picture of human nature. Christopher walken, a nasty charismatic who lures his nerdowell son, brad, jr. The movie at close range was based on the thefts leading up to the murders in 1978. The best movie quotes, movie lines and film phrases by movie quotes. At close range 1986 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. When christopher walken works with guns in film, he checks them himself before each scene for safety reasons and his own personal ease. At close range 1986 trailer hd sean penn christopher walken.
Sean penn, christopher walken and mary stuart masterson is. Bored teenager sean penn meets his prodigal father christopher walken for the first time in years. I didnt realize until years later that the film starring sean penn and christopher walken is based on a real case. At close range 1986 in 1978 rural pennsylvania an absentee father is reacquainted with his estranged teenage sons and they become. James foleys at close range and the real story of the.
Its not an entertaining movie by any stretch of the imagination, but its a powerful. All actors sean penn, christopher walken, mary stuart masterson, chris penn, millie perkins. Did this movie have anything to do with the sean pennmadonna datingcrashandburn. A rural teen sean penn joins his fathers christopher walken crime clan. Madonna invites ex sean penn and lindsay lohan to film launch bash splash news splash news tv duration. He has won two academy awards, for his roles in the mystery drama mystic river 2003 and the biopic milk 2008 penn began his acting career in television, with a brief appearance in episode 112 of little house on the prairie on december 4, 1974, and directed by his father leo penn. At close range is an entertaining vintage film that should help to disperse any lingering sentiments you might have about basic human goodness. Christopher walken, who draws his sons into his life of crime. Johnston although penn was 26 when the film was made. Though penn is vaguely aware that his father is a criminal, he is nonetheless impressed by his dads high life style and creature comforts. Sean penn, christopher walken at his most intimidating and, coincidentally at his sexiest, holy hell, mary stuart masterson, crispin glover, the list goes on and on, brief appearances by kiefer sutherland, stephen geoffreys. The movie started with a close up of a very young sean penn so i immediately checked imdb to find that it was made in 1986. During the scene when sean penn sticks a gun in walkens face, walken checked the gun before the scene started. At close range features strong performances by christopher walken and sean penn.