Customer Reviews

Steel City

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Steel City is the story of a dysfunctional family working through the crisis of the father being jailed. The mother isn't present, although members of the extended family (uncles, etc.) play prominent roles.

In my humble opinion, the only reason this movie doesn't have a higher rating is that none of the characters are particularly sympathetic; there isn't a single one of them that you would invite over to your house. In fact, you might be best advised to call 911 the instant any of these characters showed up in your neighborhood.

That aside, the movie is enjoyable for the storyline, good acting, and good production values. The secret mentioned in the plot outline isn't such a big secret, don't look for a twist ending or suspense.

Watch it when you can't find what you were looking for and have to settle for what's left in the rental store. It makes a pleasant evening of movie watching without being great.

If you are like many who don't have a Ward and June Cleaver type family, this is one good movie about a fathers love for his son and the regret he feels at having "pissed away" his child raising years. Good movie, really good.....and I hate dramas.

i just finished watching Steel City. i can't believe no one reviewed it yet. this is a great movie... and super acting by the minor characters in this movie. i'm talking about the actor that plays PJ Lee (Guiry). he is phenomenal in the role, and he def does deserve his own movie...

while it has great acting by some total unknown acting names (at least unknown to me, except for Heard)... this movie is kind of a sad one, becuase of what happens to each of the characters along the way, especially PJ's character...you root for Guiry's character, like, 'when is it going to get better for him', it gets better for him at the end, but it still leaves a sad ending for what this kid has endured, lived with and is still living with, even though by the end of the movie, his character is prospering..

i can't give it away without giving away the whole movie...

the music soundtrack is great in it too.

def get this movie or rent it. i'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 becuase of the fact that its a lil slow moving. slow building, slow to climax... it has its lil peaks, but once the truth comes out, it keeps climaxing... thats when it got good for me and kept me watching...

def a good watch...

***1/2

Superior performances are the hallmark of "Steel City," a moody, gritty, low-keyed drama set in the economically depressed area of the Upper Midwest. P.J. Lee (Tom Guiry) is a fitfully employed young man with an assortment of obstacles to overcome: his father's in jail on a vehicular manslaughter charge; his mom's re-married to a cop; his older brother's a philandering jerk whose wife walks out on him; and his girlfriend has a weight problem which makes P.J. reluctant to fully commit to her. He's also coping with the guilt of having been at least partially responsible for the fatal accident that his dad is claiming was all his fault.

Though most of the screen time is taken up with the travails that P.J. is facing and the growing up he is forced to do as a result, the movie's true emotional focus is on the lengths a largely absent father will go to in an effort to redeem himself in the eyes of his son - even if that means having to sacrifice his own freedom to bring that redemption about. As the film's writer and director, Brian Jun demonstrates a nice feel for the look and flavor of the movie's wintry locale and for the tempo and rhythm of the characters' lives.

"Steel City" is sure to get lost in the shuffle of bigger and grander independent and not-so-independent films out there, but the authentic performances - by Guiry, John Heard, Raymond J. Barry, Clayne Crawford, Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne") and America Ferreira (virtually unrecognizable out of her Ugly Betty get-up) - and sturdy filmmaking make it a movie well worth checking out.

Superior performances are the hallmark of "Steel City," a moody, gritty, low-keyed drama set in the economically depressed area of the Upper Midwest. P.J. Lee (Tom Guiry) is a fitfully employed young man with an assortment of obstacles to overcome: his father's in jail on a vehicular manslaughter charge; his mom's re-married to a cop; his older brother's a philandering jerk whose wife walks out on him; and his girlfriend has a weight problem which makes P.J. reluctant to fully commit to her. He's also coping with the guilt of having been at least partially responsible for the fatal accident that his dad is claiming was all his fault.

Though most of the screen time is taken up with the travails that P.J. is facing and the growing up he is forced to do as a result, the movie's true emotional focus is on the lengths a father will go to in an effort to redeem himself in the eyes of his son - even if that means having to sacrifice his own freedom to bring that redemption about. As the film's writer and director, Brian Jun demonstrates a nice feel for the look and flavor of the movie's wintry locale and for the tempo and rhythm of the characters' lives.

"Steel City" is sure to get lost in the shuffle of bigger and grander independent and not-so-independent films out there, but the authentic performances - by Guiry, John Heard, Raymond J. Barry, Clayne Crawford, Laurie Metcalf ("Roseanne") and America Ferreira (virtually unrecognizable out of her Ugly Betty get-up) - and sturdy filmmaking make it a movie well worth checking out.

I waited and waited for this particular movie to make it to the DVD circuit. Why? It's set in a location that is real and very close to my hometown. Was it worth it? Well, the story line was rather boring but it was definitely one many experience today. Especially with the economic situation of the local job market, this movie exhibits how "lay-offs" and plant closures, even big time company buy outs,effect the family life style. The cast for this film was great. Enough exposure for the newbies to make a name for themselves but also some good local time for the older actors. Even though the price for this DVD was higher than most, it's worth it. Perhaps it will someday be available at a cut-rate video shop, I'm happy to have spent both the money and the time to watch it. Good job to our young director - a small budget to work with still produced a very true and realistic flick.