"Went...", a downer drama with a spritz of humor, tells the tale of two of a trio of young men who grew up together in school days off to Coney Island in search of their wayward, homeless comrad. The story proceeds in preset day using interleaved flashbacks in a clumsy attempt to develop characters and story and trite aphorisms to lend credence to a weak plot with no payoff. The film has poor technical execution, the look of a super 8mm shoot, bad makeup, and general mediocrity in art, acting, and directing and conjures up more sympathy for the actors than the characters. Very forgettable.
12 Reviews
Long title, Long movie....
nix-1915 August 1999
In my humble opinion: This movie is well written and has many funny moments where it lacks is the sound and the acting. Through out the entire movie the sound is icy cold with very little realistic background noise, such as the lack of ocean at Coney Island. There are exceptional moments in the film where the acting is quite remarkable but for the most part especially in Rick Stear's scenes the acting is defiantly lacking. The cinematography is also notably uninteresting which accounts for the slow nature of the films progression to an emotional end.
Funny and touching. A great film.
MVE 16 January 2001
Funny and touching. I really enjoyed this film. It has a good balance of humor and sentiment. Cryer, as always, is a pleasure to watch on screen. I look forward to seeing more of his work and would recommend this film to anyone.
Real story is lost in film
writ7421 February 2001
This movie, which I just discovered at the video store, has apparently sit around for a couple of years without a distributor. It's easy to see why. The story of two friends living in New York searching for their pal from high school who is now living homeless under the boardwalk at Coney Island, has flashes of being a very good film, but ultimately is weighted down by the story focusing on Stan and Daniel, rather than on their homeless friend Richie. Cryer is as usual very good and the film has a nice stark look to it, with the ghostly images of Coney Island. However, writer Cryer and director Richard Schenkman are too busy dealing with the fairly uninteresting lives of Stan and Daniel rather than focusing on Richie. One flashback in a music store, where Richie has a crush on an employee stands out and really shows the viewer where this film could have gone. But in the end, not much. Two many drawn out scenes of annoyance, such as inside the Skeeball building. RATING 4 out of 10.
A little gem of a movie that deserves to be discovered
topo8728 March 2008
Went To Coney Island On A Mission From God, Be Back By Five- Terrific Drama/comedy written, produced and co-starring Jon Cryer about a trio of friends in New York city that have known each other since childhood. They have lost touch as they became adults as often happens until one day two of them get news that the third is homeless and living in Coney Island. so the two take off from work "on a mission from God" (their code to play hooky from school as kids) to find their friend. So the stage is set for a journey of friendship and discovery as we see how these grown men have faced adulthood and its challenges, or more importantly, run from them. We experience their childhood through a series of flashbacks from which we gleam information that directly impacts the present day narrative such as that their missing friend may not have been heterosexual, though they knew him as a ladies man and how this led to a huge tragedy in his life. This kind of movie is hard to pull off and could easily fall into Hollywood schmaltz with a lot of weeping and teary-eyed falsehoods. But this movie avoids all that and keeps a rather hard edge at all times. Understanding that the subject matter is serious and never makes fun of its characters, or looks down on them to pull at your heart strings. The terrific acting goes a long, long way to make this all work with kudos to Cryer who essays the less flashy role of the nebbish. Newcomer Rick Steer is really good as well as his angry, alcoholic friend who has tried to hang onto their youth for all these years. Rafeal Baez is very good as the lost friend too, in a difficult role, having to play both repression and mental illness without over doing it. he does a fine job. Ione Skye is on board in a supporting role and it is always nice to see her too. Overall this is a little gem of a movie that has for some reason been overlooked for almost ten years now. Time to rectify that situation.
Atmospheric, Emotional, Independent
amy-11214 September 2000
WENT TO CONEY ISLAND...is the story of two adult best friends (Cryer and newcomer Rick Stear) who go looking for a high school buddy who is long missing and believed to be homeless. Their search brings them to Coney Island in March--a bleak, overcast landscape symbolizing their bygone youth and abandoned dreams.
The cinematography is stunning--the cloudy and captivating blues and grays of late winter. The atmospheric mise-en-scene plays a primary role in the film. The paint peeling, abandoned amusements, the deserted rides--all carry the hollow loneliness of a ghost town. Coney Island is frightening and glorious in all it's kitschy Americana run-down splendor!
The search for the lost pal takes the friends to the freak show, skeeball parlor, bumper cars, and under the boardwalk. When at last they find him, they are forced to grapple with taking action to help him treat his mental illness, and to help themselves out of the ruts (dead end jobs, alcoholism) that they have sunk to. The dialogue is rhythmic, humorous, and authentic.
Baez plays the homeless friend, Richie, with sensitivity. Rick Stear as Stan, the alcoholic, makes a passionate film debut. Pop-culture icon Jon ("Duckie") Cryer takes a serious turn as Daniel.
The flashback to the boys' "glory days" in a high school garage band--covering Adam and the Ants "AntMusic" (!)--is worth the price of admission!
It's refreshing to see a film that is well-written, socially conscious, and emotionally relevant. It is a far cry from the tired Hollywood "formula." I encourage all film-lovers to see it.
The cinematography is stunning--the cloudy and captivating blues and grays of late winter. The atmospheric mise-en-scene plays a primary role in the film. The paint peeling, abandoned amusements, the deserted rides--all carry the hollow loneliness of a ghost town. Coney Island is frightening and glorious in all it's kitschy Americana run-down splendor!
The search for the lost pal takes the friends to the freak show, skeeball parlor, bumper cars, and under the boardwalk. When at last they find him, they are forced to grapple with taking action to help him treat his mental illness, and to help themselves out of the ruts (dead end jobs, alcoholism) that they have sunk to. The dialogue is rhythmic, humorous, and authentic.
Baez plays the homeless friend, Richie, with sensitivity. Rick Stear as Stan, the alcoholic, makes a passionate film debut. Pop-culture icon Jon ("Duckie") Cryer takes a serious turn as Daniel.
The flashback to the boys' "glory days" in a high school garage band--covering Adam and the Ants "AntMusic" (!)--is worth the price of admission!
It's refreshing to see a film that is well-written, socially conscious, and emotionally relevant. It is a far cry from the tired Hollywood "formula." I encourage all film-lovers to see it.
Can't believe didn't get recognition
LeiterMets5 July 2001
What an incredibly subtle yet poignant and worthwhile film. I couldn't believe how much it made me think and I liked it more and more after I saw it. Stunning visuals, as they are not technically brilliant, but more give the absolute perfect mood that is needed. Rick Stear is excellent, and I am surprised he hasn't done more. Overall, just a well-done movie. 9.5 out of 10.
A must see...pray they get distribution.
erica-712 October 1998
A movie with totally entertaining dialogue... conversations that leave you wondering if people really do talk to each other that way. Coney Island is a rarity in that it offers a peephole into the world of male friendships as well as a great reprieve from the sinking ships and apocalyptic explosions that litter the screens these days.
Sort of like a walking road picture....but also bit more like real life.
planktonrules31 March 2018
If you are looking for a happy of fun film, then by all means do not watch "Went to Coney Island on a Mission from God...Be Back by Five". While it has a few funny moments, the film also has a dark tone and much about it might leave you feeling a bit depressed. Unlike most films, however, it isn't afraid to tackle depressing subjects and simply accept that there might be nothing you can do to change things...and that is also one of the film's strengths.
The story begins with a prologue...showing what life was like for three kids growing up in New York City as well as how they met and how they drifted apart. Now, a decade has passed and Stan (Rick Stear) seeks out his friend Daniel (Jon Cryer) because their old pal, Richie (Rafael Báez) disappeared some time ago and Stan heard a rumor that Richie might be hanging out around Coney Island. So the pair of very unlike friends go to Coney on a most unlikey day...it's cold, it's overcast and it's practically empty. And, they spend the day meeting odd characters and following leads that might take them to Richie...who is now apparently homeless and mentally ill.
I appreciated the film mostly towards the end. Up until then, I was somewhat indifferent about it. But Richie's plight and mental health issues were handled so realistically that I had a lot of respect for the picture...especially in light of my own background as a social worker and psychotherapist. The writers got this part right....and didn't offer any trite ending where everything is magically resolved...like too many Hollywood films. In addition, the film featured some lovely performances and is well worth your time if you don't need explosions and action but value studies of people.
The story begins with a prologue...showing what life was like for three kids growing up in New York City as well as how they met and how they drifted apart. Now, a decade has passed and Stan (Rick Stear) seeks out his friend Daniel (Jon Cryer) because their old pal, Richie (Rafael Báez) disappeared some time ago and Stan heard a rumor that Richie might be hanging out around Coney Island. So the pair of very unlike friends go to Coney on a most unlikey day...it's cold, it's overcast and it's practically empty. And, they spend the day meeting odd characters and following leads that might take them to Richie...who is now apparently homeless and mentally ill.
I appreciated the film mostly towards the end. Up until then, I was somewhat indifferent about it. But Richie's plight and mental health issues were handled so realistically that I had a lot of respect for the picture...especially in light of my own background as a social worker and psychotherapist. The writers got this part right....and didn't offer any trite ending where everything is magically resolved...like too many Hollywood films. In addition, the film featured some lovely performances and is well worth your time if you don't need explosions and action but value studies of people.
well paced film
fkoretz1 January 2001
I liked the way the writers and director of this film draw the viewer into the film via judicious use of flash backs and slow build up to the most dramatic scenes. Also, Baez does a good job portraying a mentally ill person. He doesn't go over the top.
FORGOTTEN FRIEND
kirbylee70-599-52617924 June 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Talk about a mouthful for a title! I'd never heard of this movie so when I saw it being released as part of the MVD Rewind collection I was interested. What I ended up watching was a well-made movie that entertains well enough but makes you think even more.
Jon Cryer (who also helped produce and write the script for the film) stars as Daniel, one of three grown friends who now works at an unglamorous job at a cash advance/credit company. His friend Stan (Rick Stear) hasn't done near as well. Bouncing from job to job he currently works at his uncle's pizza joint. In addition to that Stan also has a drinking and gambling problem.
The two grew up in the streets of NYC and became fast friends early on. Stan had a problem with one leg shorter than the other that forced him to wear a corrective shoe. An operation intended to help and lengthen one leg didn't work out well and left Stand with a limp as well as a permanent brace. It also led to his views on life being unfair, the cause for his drinking. As the two grew up they made friends with another boy named Richie (Rafael Baez), the school stud who taught them how to talk to girls and was later rumored to have made the move on every girl in their class.
One day Stan shows at Daniel's job and tells him the two of them need to leave. Pretending his grandmother passed away (a trick they employed as children) he tells Daniel they're "on a mission from God", a phrase they used to use. It turns out neither has seen Richie in years and someone has told Stan that they saw him homeless and living on the streets at Coney Island. With winter coming on the pair head there with the hope of saving their old friend.
The movie uses a combination of flashbacks and current adventures among different characters to tell the story. In flashbacks we discover what it was that led to the breakup of these friends, a secret of Richie's that brings into doubt his way with the ladies. We also learn about Stan's romance with Gabby (Ione Skye) that has carried on to the present. But even there things aren't always what they seem.
On the boardwalk of Coney Island this pair show to find the location closed for the season for the most part. Venturing in to those places still open (a freak show, a restaurant, a ski ball place) they encounter various people on their journey to find Richie. In the end that journey isn't just a discovery involving Richie but one for Stan as well, the culmination of a lifetime of poor choices and anger fueled attitude. Each person they talk to brings them closer to finding Richie and at the same time brining Stan closer to facing his own truths.
The movie works well on all levels. Each of the characters the two come across add to the story, revealing things about themselves that they both apply to their own lives. Of the two of them Daniel is the more stable, a solid worker in a boring thankless job with a slow moving love life. And as the travel through Coney Island he remains the more reasonable one. But it takes the efforts of both to find the solution to the problem of locating Richie.
The three actors in the lead roles turn in fine performances. A quick search at imdb for Stear finds little information and a short list of performances. That's too bad as he does a solid job here. Cryer went on to much bigger things making it big in 2003 with the hit series TWO AND A HALF MEN. He too does a fine job here in a role that allows him to be the solid member of a group of friends rather than the oddball characters he'd played in the past. Baez doesn't get much screen time but he leaves behind a character you're not likely to forget.
As I said the movie is part of MVD's Rewind series, movies that once graced the shelves of mom and pop video stores across the country. They made sure this is the finest presentation of the film with a high Definition Blu-ray 1080p presentation of the main feature from a frame-by-frame digital restoration from original 35mm film elements. Included in the extras are a new introduction for the film featuring director Richard Schenkman and Cryer, an audio commentary track with both, a behind the scenes making of featurette, THE PRODUCER a comedy short directed by Schenkman, a photo gallery, the original theatrical trailer and a collectible mini-poster.
The end result is an entertaining drama that is worth taking a look at. Fans of Cryer will want to make this a part of their collection. And if not fans this movie might make you one. It's definitely worth watching.
Jon Cryer (who also helped produce and write the script for the film) stars as Daniel, one of three grown friends who now works at an unglamorous job at a cash advance/credit company. His friend Stan (Rick Stear) hasn't done near as well. Bouncing from job to job he currently works at his uncle's pizza joint. In addition to that Stan also has a drinking and gambling problem.
The two grew up in the streets of NYC and became fast friends early on. Stan had a problem with one leg shorter than the other that forced him to wear a corrective shoe. An operation intended to help and lengthen one leg didn't work out well and left Stand with a limp as well as a permanent brace. It also led to his views on life being unfair, the cause for his drinking. As the two grew up they made friends with another boy named Richie (Rafael Baez), the school stud who taught them how to talk to girls and was later rumored to have made the move on every girl in their class.
One day Stan shows at Daniel's job and tells him the two of them need to leave. Pretending his grandmother passed away (a trick they employed as children) he tells Daniel they're "on a mission from God", a phrase they used to use. It turns out neither has seen Richie in years and someone has told Stan that they saw him homeless and living on the streets at Coney Island. With winter coming on the pair head there with the hope of saving their old friend.
The movie uses a combination of flashbacks and current adventures among different characters to tell the story. In flashbacks we discover what it was that led to the breakup of these friends, a secret of Richie's that brings into doubt his way with the ladies. We also learn about Stan's romance with Gabby (Ione Skye) that has carried on to the present. But even there things aren't always what they seem.
On the boardwalk of Coney Island this pair show to find the location closed for the season for the most part. Venturing in to those places still open (a freak show, a restaurant, a ski ball place) they encounter various people on their journey to find Richie. In the end that journey isn't just a discovery involving Richie but one for Stan as well, the culmination of a lifetime of poor choices and anger fueled attitude. Each person they talk to brings them closer to finding Richie and at the same time brining Stan closer to facing his own truths.
The movie works well on all levels. Each of the characters the two come across add to the story, revealing things about themselves that they both apply to their own lives. Of the two of them Daniel is the more stable, a solid worker in a boring thankless job with a slow moving love life. And as the travel through Coney Island he remains the more reasonable one. But it takes the efforts of both to find the solution to the problem of locating Richie.
The three actors in the lead roles turn in fine performances. A quick search at imdb for Stear finds little information and a short list of performances. That's too bad as he does a solid job here. Cryer went on to much bigger things making it big in 2003 with the hit series TWO AND A HALF MEN. He too does a fine job here in a role that allows him to be the solid member of a group of friends rather than the oddball characters he'd played in the past. Baez doesn't get much screen time but he leaves behind a character you're not likely to forget.
As I said the movie is part of MVD's Rewind series, movies that once graced the shelves of mom and pop video stores across the country. They made sure this is the finest presentation of the film with a high Definition Blu-ray 1080p presentation of the main feature from a frame-by-frame digital restoration from original 35mm film elements. Included in the extras are a new introduction for the film featuring director Richard Schenkman and Cryer, an audio commentary track with both, a behind the scenes making of featurette, THE PRODUCER a comedy short directed by Schenkman, a photo gallery, the original theatrical trailer and a collectible mini-poster.
The end result is an entertaining drama that is worth taking a look at. Fans of Cryer will want to make this a part of their collection. And if not fans this movie might make you one. It's definitely worth watching.
Top 5 worst movies I've ever seen.
QuickFlip14 April 2001
And I don't care how small the budget was. I have fast forwarded less in pornographic movies. Garbage plot, garbage dialog, severely mediocre acting. I can't begin to describe how stupid the dialog was. And oooh the shocking plot twist! It was quite a technique, the way the severely overplayed, horrible dialog would foreshadow the climax, if you could watch it that long.
If I didn't live right in the neighborhood it was shot in, I would have turned it off half way through.
And I watched the movie with an optimistic attitude.
If I didn't live right in the neighborhood it was shot in, I would have turned it off half way through.
And I watched the movie with an optimistic attitude.
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