Send No Flowers
In a world where Martin Scorsese, “The Godfather” trilogy, Michael Mann, and “The Sopranos” seems to have said everything there could possibly be to say about the world of criminals and the mafia, it’s hard to do something truly original in the genre. The best you can hope for is to create something special, that holds our interest, and has an entertaining story to tell.
With the last couple of films he’s made that I’ve seen (this film and “The Night Never Sleeps”), director Fred Carpenter is showing that there’s a little bit more to do in the crime genre than just ape Scorsese and Mann. A key part of that equation has been actor Russ Camarda (a fine director in his own right who is also a “contributing writer” on this film) and composer Vincent Nigro. I first caught wind of these two with the thriller, “Night for Day,” and I’ve kept them on my radar thanks to Carpenter’s films. All three films are stylish, violent, and fresh looks at genre stories that, you would think, have lost any ability to keep things fresh. But there’s an energy to these films, and a commitment to genre, that really grabs you from the word go, and “Send No Flowers” is no different.
“Send No Flowers” stars Sean Young as Toni Albano, whose father, a powerful mob boss, is brutally killed in a hit by a rival family. After his death, Tony is doing what she can to hold on to control of her family’s assets, as well as his business, in general. It’s hard enough for sons to hold on to the family business, as we saw in the “Godfather” movies, but for a daughter? Multiply that by 100, especially when her father’s lieutenants start look to start defecting to her biggest rival, Gaetana Nunzziatta (Camarda).
This isn’t a grand epic of loyalty and betrayal that tips the scales in terms of scope and running time, like Scorsese and Coppola have made over the years; at 79 minutes, “Send No Flowers” moves quickly, and only scratches the surface of what this type of story could be in the hands of one of those two masters. But Carpenter wrings some truly operatic moments and emotions out of Lee Kolinsky and Mike Lovaglio’s screenplay when they’re given, aided immeasurably by Nigro’s score, which is a very contemporary piece of film music that also owes a lot to his jazzy sensibilities, which were on display most brilliantly in “Night for Day.” And he’s got great locations to work with, as well as faces to film and aid in putting us within the genre completely.
What really makes “Send No Flowers” come to life, though, are the performances by Young and Camarda as the warring heads of these families. Both characters have been around long enough to know how things are supposed to work, but Toni wants to change the game. She understands that, in order to get respect, she has to fight for it, and Young (though she has some moments where I didn’t entirely buy her performance) sells it like it means something, and when she’s on, it’s a terrific piece of acting from an industry vet. But Camarda, who also shined in “The Night Never Sleeps” is the one who really impresses. He’s great at playing this type of character, and he delivers another strong, muscular performance that would stand out with the general public in a bigger movie. But the size of the production only means that, unfortunately, it’s tougher for these types of films to get seen by the masses; it’s not a reflection of the quality of the work. Carpenter, Camarda, and the rest of their filmmaking family know that well, and don’t let such business realities detract from making solid, superb entertainment.
