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List Price: $14.94 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 19634
Released: May 20, 2003 |
| Our Price: $3.89 |
| Used Price: $0.96 |
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MPAA Rating: R (Restricted)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
An ageing career criminal and his son, who is currently on the straight and narrow, approach the grandson, who is bright, good-looking, and without a criminal past about a burglary scheme. The grandson is shocked, but not necessarily disinterested. Stars Academy Award(r) winner Sean Connery, Academy Award(r) winner Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick.
Description of Family Business:
This 1989 film, directed by Sidney Lumet (Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon) brings together three notable actors in a story of generational and familial loyalty and crime. While ultimately a somewhat thin story, the film succeeds in great measure because of its powerful actors, who rise above the implausible casting to play three generations of men (Scottish, Italian, and Jewish) who each in their own way try to deny their roots. Matthew Broderick plays Adam, an MIT scholar who yearns for more excitement from life. He enlists the aid of his grandfather Jesse (Sean Connery)--a tough, lifelong thief--to steal some biological materials for a big payoff. But Adam's father, Vito (Dustin Hoffman), who went straight to get away from Jesse's lifestyle and to provide a stable life for his son, finds himself dragged back into Jesse's criminal world in order to protect Adam. When the heist goes sour, Vito must decide where his true loyalties lie. The whole affair has a light, breezy atmosphere to it, but the performances give this film weight and make it a worthwhile diversion. --Robert Lane
Family Business Reviews:
great cast 
2009-07-23 - To me what a great cast wow they were all great and this is a must own dvd, i cant seem to find many good dvds from the past in stores any more only online oh well i guess blue ray is taking over, This moive is funny and i would give it 5 stars
Family Business DVD
2009-04-28 - I own this movie and have enjoyed watching it many time and sharing it with my friends & relatives. If you'd like to see another side of Sean Connery, and enjoy the work of the versatile Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick, then you'll like this combination of drama mixed with a little light humor. This is a good one !
family buisiness 
2007-10-11 - i had not seen this movie in years and i realy enjoyed seeing it again
THREE STAR POWER AND..SIDNEY LUMET TOO!!
2007-04-19 - Connery,Hoffman and Broderick is not the typical cast . Would you in your wildest dreams picture Dustin Hoffman as an Italian named Vito? Not only that but Sean Connerys son? Not only that but Matthew Brodericks father? Watch and you will believe! Sidney Lumet is a brilliant director and he pulls this one off beautifully! Its wonderful fun!!!! I enjoyed it tremendously!!!
With a Family like this...
2007-02-08 - Sidney Lumet has directed some of the best actor (Fonda, Connery, Pacino. Holden, Widmark) and the worst (Vin Diesel). However this cute drama/comedy caper is cute at best and not worth his talents. If not for the three leads (Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, and Matthew Broderick) who are involved, this film would be forgetable.
Connery plays Jesse, the elder stateman of the McMullin clan who is part irish/part scot. Jesse is also a career criminal who has been out and in of jails. His son Vito (Hoffman) (part scot irish and Italian)was raised in the life of burglary and is trying to go straight with his meat packing business. Vito's son adam (Broderick) (who is part scot/irish/italian and Jewish on his mother's side) was gifted with a silver spoon in his mouth. Adam rather join the family business and be a thief like his Grandfather Jesse. The family dynamic works well with these three leads together, it breaks apart with they do not play scenes like a trio
None of the actors are the weakest link in this film, it lays in the script itself. Lumet uses too many two long shots and two shots to make sure at least two of the trio is always together.
The talent is on the DVD. One could wish one of these films giants or Lumet would have done an audio commentary, but none have come to pass.
So steal this DVD for your collection
Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD
