Fresh Kills

NOW IN THEATERS! Get ready to join the mob crowding your local theater to see the outstanding deep dish Mafia drama Fresh Kills, the impressive debut from writer/director Jennifer Esposito. The movie opens in 1997, with Rose (Emily Bader) in a red sports car at night by the pier. Her hands around the steering wheel are covered in blood, with a bag of cocaine and a stuffed toy sitting beside her. She slams her foot on the gas and heads for the edge.

The film then flashes back to 1987, when Rose Larusso (Anastasia Veronica Lee) was just a kid, playing with her sister Connie (Taylor Madeline Hand). They have just moved to Staten Island from Brooklyn with their mom, Francine (Jennifer Esposito), and dad, Joe (Domenick Lombardozzi), near the Fresh Kills garbage dump. All of their extended family is moving nearby as well, like Aunt Christine (Annabella Sciorra), Uncle Nick (Anthony Desando) and their cousin Allie (Charlie Rena).

“…Francine tries to explain to Rose that it is important to stay with the family.”

While playing in the garage, Rose and Connie overhear Joe complaining about Uncle Nick f*****g up by bringing that s**t around his family’s house. Later, Joe has to go out for some business, and when he gets back really late, Francine can’t stop screaming. After Nick’s funeral, Joe takes Allie under his wing. We jump to 1994 when Rose (Emily Bader) and Connie (Odessa A’zion) are getting ready to graduate from Catholic School. Joe gives the girls a present of a new car while also giving Allie (Nicholas Cirillo) one as well.

Rose dreams of leaving home and moving to New York City, as she doesn’t want to become just a wife and mom. She butts heads with Francine on this as Francine tries to explain to Rose that it is important to stay with the family. Connie is even more blunt to Rose, as Connie thinks Rose doesn’t understand that their family isn’t like all the other families. Rose doesn’t know what her father does for a living, but Connie does and is proud of who they are. Then we jump to 1997, and the s**t hits the fan big time.