TrueHello Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

Humaira Grant It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Ava-Grace Willis Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Mathilde the Guild Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

kenjha In 1950s Staten Island, an Italian man pursues his dreams of owning a bar. This is a charming, nostalgic comedy from writer-director De Felitta, who later scored a hit with the delightful "City Island." He's someone to keep an eye on, although he's only released three films in ten years. The three leads are excellent: Rispoli as the dreamer, Narducci as his close-minded wife, and Macdonald as an Irishwoman with a white drunkard husband and a black baby. The voice-over narration, while integral to the presentation, is perhaps a bit overdone, as is the ethnic stereotyping. However, the protagonist is likable and the story is engaging so it's easy to overlook any shortcomings.

dwacon-2 I found this film by accident while programming my TIVO. The official description of the film didn't really relate with the story was all about.This is fine however, as we don't want to spoil the wonderfully conceived character-based plot. The growth of the characters, and the realizations that they make in the third act, is stellar.Overall, this film is a wonderful character piece that gives a glimpse of racial attitudes in the 1950's in New York (that don't seem so different from the attitudes in the 2000's).The acting was superb and the pace of the plot was crisp. I highly recommend adding this to your TIVO play list.As closing credits rolled, I thought that this is what an award-winning screenplay feels like -- and sadly that doesn't always translate into commercial success.

jotix100 Raymond DeFelitta, the director of the current release, "The Thing About my Folks", working with his own material, created this wonderful film, which should be seen more often. Unfortunately, when this film first came out, it had wonderful notices, but alas, it disappeared too soon for us to catch up with it. Thanks to HBO, the film was shown recently and it proved to be worthy of the praise we had heard about.The story takes place in the fifties. The characters at the center of the film, are basically Italian-Americans living in Staten Island. Buddy and Estelle Visalo, are the owners of a two family house in need of repairs. The upstairs apartment has been rented to an Irish couple, Mary and Jim, who are going through a rough moment in their lives.Buddy, with the help of his friends from the tavern that is the social meeting point of the neighborhood, is trying to evict the couple upstairs, after it's clear they are up to no good and can't pay the rent. It proves to be too late because Mary begins her labor pains and Estelle, who doesn't like the woman, helps in the delivery. But horror of horrors, the little baby proves to be much more than what Mary was expecting, and Jim abandons her.The Italian landlord develops a friendship toward Mary, who he succeeds in evicting, but feels terribly about it. He rescues her from the flea bag hotel where she is staying since her own sister doesn't want her. Buddy finds, and pays, for an apartment for Mary and her son. It's clear that Buddy and Mary go from a friendship into a relationship that will change their lives forever.The film works because the charismatic work of Michael Rispoli, who as Buddy, is a man with a heart of gold. Mr. Rispoli is an actor that is always good, no matter what character he plays. Also the movie has an inspired performance by Kelly MacDonald. Ms. MacDonald does good work as Mary. The supporting cast, Kartherine Narducci, Kevin Conway, Matt Servitto, Vincent Pastore, and the rest, are perfect.We look forward future endeavors by Raymond DeFelitta, who proves with this film he can tell a story that involves the viewer in more ways than some others. "Two Family House" is a small movie, with a big heart!

wildgoose77 I enjoyed this film overall. The cast turns in some outstanding performances, without a doubt the film's greatest strength. My problems with the film had more to do with the argument being made. Buddy Visalo, an Italian-American man with an entrepreneurial fire burning in his soul, just can't seem to make any of his business ventures pan out. Complicating matters is his wife, Estelle, who wants him to cease these hair-brained schemes and get a good, dependable job that will support a nice house and a family. So you have an otherwise happy couple who just can't give each other what they need most in life. She needs a husband who can be a dependable provider, he needs a wife who will always believe in him and support his goals. The film is clearly sympathetic to the goal-oriented male, expounding the virtues of always striving for success and never giving up no matter how crazy your idea may seem to others. I left the theatre wondering how the story would have panned out if it had been directed by a woman, or for that matter, a mother.Grade: B