Farce, by definition, is an extended manipulation of crazy, unrealistic situations. Like slapstick, farce is all mistaken identities, misunderstandings and wacky cover-ups; but unlike slapstick, good farce contains darkness and danger.
“City Island” is, at its core, a farce. At the same time, the film pads that core with elements of faux-tragedy and family comedy to create an entertaining, if somewhat forgettable, hybrid.
“City Island” is set on, well, City Island, a small sliver of the Bronx that juts into the innermost part of Long Island Sound. Vince Rizzo (Andy Garcia, “New York, I Love You“), takes some time to explain that it’s the kind of place where houses are passed through generations, and newbies are suspect. Vince is old City Island, and shares the house his grandfather built with his wife, Joyce, (Julianna Margulies, TV’s “The Good Wife“); daughter, Vivian (Dominik Garc
This article appears in May 5-11, 2010.