hough Robert De Niro has been focusing on comedies such as Analyze This (1999) and Meet the Parents (2000) and their respective sequels, he makes his return to drama in City By The Sea.

  The movie is based on the real-life story of NYPD homicide detective Vincent LaMarca, whose life was documented by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mike McAlary in an article
titled "Mark of a Murderer" in the September 1997 issue of Esquire.

  In the movie, Vincent LaMarca (played by De Niro) has forged a long and distinguished career in law enforcement, and is known for being intensely committed to his work. He is suddenly forced to confront his disturbing past when he realizes that the principal suspect of a murder case he's investigating is his own son, Joey, from whom he is estranged.  The investigation takes Vincent away from his girlfriend (Frances McDormand) back to the decaying boardwalks of Long Beach, Long Island, which he left after divorcing his wife (Patti LuPone).

  In the familiar setting, Vincent must face the painful memory of his father, a criminal who was executed at Sing Sing in the 1950s for kidnapping and killing an infant. He also realizes that his failure as a father has deeply influenced his son's life and could influence his grandson's. Joey (James Franco) has an 18-month-old with his teenage girlfriend, Gina (Eliza Dushku).

  During the investigation, Vincent comes to understand that
actors
Robert De Niro
Frances McDormand
James Franco
Eliza Dushku
William Forsythe
George Dzundza

director
Michael Caton-Jones

locations
New York
New Jersey
outtake
Life is often stranger than fiction. Top crime journalist Mike McAlary, who authored the original Esquire magazine article on Vincent LaMarca, will sadly never get to see whether or not his story leads to film success. He died at the age of 41 last December from colon cancer.
he must put his own life on the line to break the cycle of violence and self-destruction for his grandson's sake and to do right by his family.

  The film reunites De Niro with director Michael Caton-Jones (Rob Roy, The Jackal) and actress Eliza Dushku, who both worked with him on This Boy's Life (1993). This time out, 22-year-old Dushku knew what to expect from her co-star. Having worked with De Niro when she was only 11, Dushku told a reporter about her experience on the set of This Boy's Life. "He's swearing and jumping on the table and getting in your face, and he's Robert De Niro and he's so intense."
James Franco, fresh from his starring role as troubled Harry Osborn in Spider-Man, was also moved by his experience with De Niro.

  "He'd come up to me and let me know everything was OK," Franco was quoted as saying. While De Niro spent most of his time on set talking to Caton-Jones, Franco said it was cool with him. "I got a chance to watch him work and see his process - that was all I needed."

- Deena Waisberg