Vincent Lamarca, whose father was executed for a 1950s kidnapping of a child, grew up to become a police officer, only to see his own son become a murder suspect.Vincent Lamarca, whose father was executed for a 1950s kidnapping of a child, grew up to become a police officer, only to see his own son become a murder suspect.Vincent Lamarca, whose father was executed for a 1950s kidnapping of a child, grew up to become a police officer, only to see his own son become a murder suspect.
- Awards
- 1 nomination
Patti LuPone
- Maggie
- (as Patti Lupone)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRobert De Niro personally had James Franco cast, after viewing his performance in James Dean (2001).
- GoofsJoey sells his football ring but is still wearing it in subsequent scenes.
- Quotes
Vincent LaMarca: How'd we get this way son? I remember the day you were born.
Joey: Yeah? Well, I remember the day you left. So we're even.
- Crazy creditsThis motion picture was not actually filmed in Long Beach, New York.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Shameless: Meet The Gallaghers (2004)
- SoundtracksRed Sails In The Sunset
Written by Jimmy Kennedy and Will Grosz (as Hugh Williams)
Performed by Guy Lombardo
Courtesy of MCA
Under license from Universal Music Enterprises
Featured review
An intense and dramatic thriller loosely based on a true story with a very good cast
New York City homicide detective Vincent LaMarca (Robert De Niro) who had a difficult infancy , grew up to become a good police officer . He has forged a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, making a name for himself as a police officer intensely committed to his work . But Vincent Lamarca has a dark secret , his father was executed for a 1950s kidnapping of a child , and it nowadays comes to publicize as shocking news . Then in his latest case , the stakes are higher for Vincent , the suspect he's investigating results to be his own son (James Franco) . He and Joey have been painfully estranged ever since Vincent divorced his wife (Patti LuPone) and left the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach , Long Island for the anonymity of Manhattan and a successful career with the NYPD . He lives his life in solitude , keeping his girlfriend (wasted Frances McDormand) at arm's length and the closest relationship he maintains is with his colleague, Reg Duffy (George Dzundza) . As Vincent must address his dark family history . When you're searching for a killer... the last suspect you want to see is your son !.
Another De Niro cop flick about an upright police officer whose life goes awry , only to see his own son become a murder , this case leads veteran detective Vincent LaLarca back his to his house town , a rundown Long Island resort , and other troubles with ex-wife and his girlfriend add a tragic dimension to the manhunt of his wayward offspring . Although based on a true story the picture takes some drastic liberties with the facts . The details of Joey's crime have been radically softened , while the real Vincent was retired from the force and the police procedural , performing little part in the chase. This air of phoniness permeates all aspects of the production . Main and support cast are pretty good . James Franco is frankly well , he looks like the perfect junkie , playing the estranged son who emerges as chief suspect . With pretty boy Franco flashing his painfully gaunt cheekbones , the movie veers to heroin chic than to the genuinely harrowing of Aranofsky's Requiem for a Dream. And Frances McDormand as De Niro's on-off sweetheart is really wasted , adding other nice secondaries giving competent performances , such as : Eliza Dushku , William Forsythe , Patti Lupone , Anson Mount , John Doman , Brian Tarantina , Nestor Serrano and even Drena De Niro , Robert De Niro's daughter .
Special mention for the enjoyable and emotive musical score by John Murphy . More ambience is provided by the evocative , visually stunning cinematography by cameraman Karl Walter Lindenlaub with on-location shooting in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Ocean Grove , New Jersey, New York City, New York, Long Island . The motion picture was well directed by Michael Caton Jones, despite the odd dull bits , and though makes some overlong . Caton has directed nice films with success enough , such as : "Scandal¨, ¨Memphis Belle¨ , ¨Doc Hollywood¨ , ¨This boy's life¨ , ¨Rob Roy¨, ¨The Jackal¨ , ¨City by the Sea" , among others . Rating : 6,5/10. The picture will appeal to Robert De Niro and James Franco fans .
Another De Niro cop flick about an upright police officer whose life goes awry , only to see his own son become a murder , this case leads veteran detective Vincent LaLarca back his to his house town , a rundown Long Island resort , and other troubles with ex-wife and his girlfriend add a tragic dimension to the manhunt of his wayward offspring . Although based on a true story the picture takes some drastic liberties with the facts . The details of Joey's crime have been radically softened , while the real Vincent was retired from the force and the police procedural , performing little part in the chase. This air of phoniness permeates all aspects of the production . Main and support cast are pretty good . James Franco is frankly well , he looks like the perfect junkie , playing the estranged son who emerges as chief suspect . With pretty boy Franco flashing his painfully gaunt cheekbones , the movie veers to heroin chic than to the genuinely harrowing of Aranofsky's Requiem for a Dream. And Frances McDormand as De Niro's on-off sweetheart is really wasted , adding other nice secondaries giving competent performances , such as : Eliza Dushku , William Forsythe , Patti Lupone , Anson Mount , John Doman , Brian Tarantina , Nestor Serrano and even Drena De Niro , Robert De Niro's daughter .
Special mention for the enjoyable and emotive musical score by John Murphy . More ambience is provided by the evocative , visually stunning cinematography by cameraman Karl Walter Lindenlaub with on-location shooting in Asbury Park, New Jersey, Ocean Grove , New Jersey, New York City, New York, Long Island . The motion picture was well directed by Michael Caton Jones, despite the odd dull bits , and though makes some overlong . Caton has directed nice films with success enough , such as : "Scandal¨, ¨Memphis Belle¨ , ¨Doc Hollywood¨ , ¨This boy's life¨ , ¨Rob Roy¨, ¨The Jackal¨ , ¨City by the Sea" , among others . Rating : 6,5/10. The picture will appeal to Robert De Niro and James Franco fans .
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- Dec 18, 2022
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Mark of a Murderer
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $40,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $22,449,000
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,935,426
- Sep 8, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $29,676,703
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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