'This Thing' frightening portrait

Friday, January 16, 2004

By Barry Paris, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Corleones? They're the Partridge Family compared to the Provenzanos, who -- even more frightening -- are a matter of fact rather than fiction.

	'THIS THING OF OURS' Rating: R for language and violence. Starring: Danny Provenzano, Vincent Pastore, James Caan. Director: Danny Provenzano.

The controversial movie about them is called "This Thing of Ours," invoking the literal translation of Cosa Nostra plus a real-life authenticity that puts "The Godfather" and "The Sopranos" to shame.

Just what we needed.

In any case, it's just what we get from director-star Danny Provenzano, a bona fide Mafioso prodigy himself -- so bona fide that he's currently serving time for racketeering and extortion.

Talk about credentials! The story derives from his fascination with the Internet and his motivational belief that "it's about time we brought This Thing of Ours into the 21st century."

Provenzano gives himself the lead role as Nicky Santini, mastermind of an electronic bank scam that will be infinitely more lucrative than all run-of-the-mill mob rackets of yore. Nicky is young, brash and smart, and so are his two savvy partners (Vincent Pastore and Louis Vanaria).

Their first hurdle is getting approval from the dons. The second is the job itself. That is relatively easy, compared with negotiating their way among and through their fellow Mafiosi.

Chief among those are Nicky's uncle Danny (Frank Vincent), a cool-headed sophisticate, and Johnny Irish (Edward Lynch), a mean-as-they-come henchman. He'd kill a guy quick as look at him -- and does so frequently.

There are wonderful moments in this horribly violent yarn: a fabulous (semi-improvisational) murder story around the lunch table; a guy shot dead with his cigar still in his mouth; James Caan in a bizarre wheelchair-cameo role.

I mentioned credentials above? How about this, for closers: Director Provenzano's great-uncle Tony is believed to be responsible for the disappearance and murder of Jimmy Hoffa.

Oy, veh.

I am semi-ashamed to say that "This Thing of Ours" is amazingly engrossing -- riveting and repugnant in every way.

See it at your own risk.

Barry Paris can be reached at 412-263-3859.

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