State Of Grace

The movie I chosed to view and write a report on was called “State Of Grace”. This movie depicts and

focuses on small time Irish hoods who are grouped into crews, semi-independent unit that is headed by a

street boss.They share with their crew chief who shares with soldiers and caporgime who runs their affairs.

This movie is about small time hoods who operate in New York city. An area known as Hell’s Kitchen.

Sean Penn, who plays an undercover agent tries to infiltrate a crew of Irish American decent who operate

organized crime on a lower level. This movie depicts many organized crime characteristics, the first

being Self Perpetuating Frankie Flannery has just been named the new boss, due toanunfortunate

event.Early in the movie a Division of Hierarchy is established with Frankie Flannery being the street boss,

who works under the caporgime, Mr. Berelli. Frankie runs a crew of about ten Irish rough housers,

including his brother named Jackie, and Sean Penn!

played as Terry, the undercover police officer trying to infiltrate the crew.

This crew was nonidelogical, there only goal and concern was economic growth, as we see compared

withorganized crime today. One of the biggest characteristics of organized crime used in this film was a

person exhibiting the willingness to use illegal violence and bribery.Early in this movie Sean shows that he

is willing to participate and does so by commiting arson, roughing people up, extoring monely from small

business owners. One of the reasons that Terry is given a chance to work with the crew, the characteristics

of organized crime, limited or exclusive membership, is that he grew up with these guys in the

neighborhood, and he was Irish.

Looking at the organized characteristics of specialization of labor, the crew mainly worked as button men

or enforcers. They carried out intimidation tactics, along with violdence they pursuaded citizens to see

things their way.

While watching this movie the main focus was on rules and regulations. Example: Little Stevie was

murdered for disrespecting another caporgime named Mr. Cabella. Toward the end of the movie Mr.

Flannery has to kill his younger brother Jackie, for not obeying rules and killing without Mr. Berellis

permission.The end of the movie shows a different kind of loyalty. Sean Penn upset by the murder of his

friend and member, Jackie Flannery decides to kill the boss Frankie along with the crew, even though he is

a cop and breaking all the rules. This movie showed a view of organized crime at street level.