© Severin Films
Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc - Lookin' Italian (1994)
Jay Acovone and Matt LeBlanc in 'Lookin' Italian' (1994)
Lookin’ Italian
(Severin Blu-ray)
Best known for his culty horror flick Retribution (1987), director Guy Magar turned to a different genre with Lookin’ Italian (1994). He called it “a tribute to Martin Scorsese.” Scusi? The dialogue is flamboyantly Italian American and the references to La Familia and mortadella add up to the sort of Mob comedies popular in the late ‘80s-early ‘90s. Capich? The movie’s protagonist, Vinnie (Jay Acovone) has left his Mafia past by moving to LA. Turns out the old Brooklyn don has also moved west, seeking SoCal’s warmer Sicilian weather. The don warns Vinnie that his nephew, Anthony (pre-“Friends” Matt LeBlanc), is headed for trouble in a multi-ethnic, new breed of gangbangers. The choreographed violence is Tarantino-esque. The new Blu-ray release includes cast and director interviews and other extras. (David Luhrssen)