Review of Strictly Sinatra (2001) by Sarah F — 11 Sep 2004

Best in Show: Ian Hart.

One for the future: Kelly MacDonald.

Stand-out scene: 'My Way'.

Brainer or no-brainer: Brainer.

Stands up to one viewing or repeated?: Repeated.

DVD commentary any good?: n/a.

TV.

Strictly Sinatra (re-named Cocozza's Way in the States probably due to legal reasons) is a small Scottish movie with a big heart. Liverpudlian actor Ian Hart (a very nice man; he tutored a friend of mine in drama a few years back) demonstrates his depth of range in this fish-out-of-water tale of an out of date/touch crooner who gets embroiled with some Scots gangsters. Bubble-permed and hopelessly nerdy, Toni Cocozzo dreams of big-time stardom but he doesn't have the act to match his ambition. When he catches the eye of a Scotia Nostra Don, Toni finds himself caught up in a shady netherworld, becoming a gopher for the godfather's right-hand man Chisholm (Brian Cox). Directed by the star of the similarly-themed Local Hero, Peter Capaldi, who brings a Forsythian dramatic depth to the proceedings. As Cocozza's girlfriend, Kelly MacDonald has a pivotal role and provides sterling support to Ian Hart's bravado turn. Maybe the name change in the States was due to getting clearance from the Sinatra family or to make an allusion to Carlito's Way (Hart's hairpiece is as bad as Sean Penn's in that movie) or maybe the distributors were worried that people would think it was a documentary about Ol' Blue Eyes (recalling the hilarious George III debacle). All in all a watchable treat.