Mickey Blue Eyes, showing on Film4 (Thursday 9pm) this week is a romantic comedy from 1999 starring the likes of Hugh Grant, James Caan, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Burt Young, James Fox and Joe Viterelli.
The basic storyline revolves around polite, well mannered English auctioneer Michael Felgate (played by Hugh Grant - hey, how on earth did you guess from that description??) who comes to discover that his girlfriend is actually the daughter of one of the country’s biggest mobsters Frank Vitale (James Caan).
When her godfather decides to launder money selling his son’s gory and talentless artwork through Michael’s auction house, he soon finds himself getting deeper and deeper involved with a crime world that he understandably has no comprehension of.
The results that follow are genuinely hilarious as Michael poses as a member of the mob himself and tries to get up to speed with the lingo and actions of his girlfriend’s family often resulting in embarrassing and awkward situations that you can’t help but be amused by.
Hugh Grant plays a pretty standard role in the film, and although he doesn’t do anything different from the usual run of the mill acting and comedy you have seen from him in other movies (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill etc.) you can’t deny that this type of role really is perfect for him.
James Caan is fantastic as loud mouthed mobster boss Frank Vitale and it is great to see him back on the screen in this refreshing and funny role.
The scene between Caan and Grant in which Michael is learning how to pronounce words like a mobster is priceless; watching Hugh Grant’s face and accent as he attempts to say ‘fogetaboutit’ generates one of the best moments throughout the whole film and shows how well the two actors work together as an unlikely comedy duo.
Mickey Blue Eyes is not a highly intelligent film, or something that is going to blow you away when you watch it, but what it does have is a great cast matched with some equally humorous scenes that show the actors off to the best of their ability.
If you are a fan of Hugh Grant or James Caan you will love this film, as the whole plotline centres round these two key actors.
Recommended as a great ‘Feel Good’ type film if you are in need of a good laugh or simply something to pass the time if there’s not much else on.
Full cast list for Mickey Blue Eyes: Aida Turturro, Alexis Brentani, Andy Redmond, Barbara Christie, Beatrice Winde, Ben Wang, Brian Davies, Bruno Gioiello, Burt Young, Carmine Parisi, Chris McGinn, Crystal Rose, David McConeghey, Dorinda Katz, Ed Wheeler, Ephraim Benton, Felicia Scarangello, Frank Pellegrino, Frank Senger, Frank Slaten, Gerry Becker, Glenn Kalison, Helen Lloyd Breed, Hugh Grant, James Caan, James Fox, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Joe Viterelli, John Di Benedetto, John DiResta, John Ventimiglia, Joseph R. Gannascoli, Joseph Rigano, Kevin Kean Murphy, Leonardo Sessa, Lisa Lang, Lori Tan Chinn, Lorri Bagley, Maddie Corman, Margaret Devine, Maria Ottavia, Mark Margolis, Marsha Dietlein, Melissa Marsala, Michael Kennealy, New York Joe Catalfumo, Paul Lazar, Richard Topol, Rocco Musacchia, Rose Caiola, Sara Colton, Scott Thompson, Shelagh Ratner, Stephen Dym, Steve Mellor, Sybil Lines, Tom Cassell, Tom King, Tony Darrow, Tony Sirico, Vincent Pastore.