Named after Long Island, City By The Sea stars Academy Award winner Robert DeNiro (Raging Bull, Meet the Parents). DeNiro returns to the big screen as homicide Lieutenant Vince LaMarca. Plagued by his past, in which his father was executed for murder, LaMarca is also haunted by his future. His son, Joey (James Franco), is wanted for murder. Academy Award winner Frances McDormand co-stars as Michelle, who is Vince’s girlfriend.

Based on a true story published in Esquire magazine, the movie is centered on LaMarca, who is trying to track down his son Joey, suspected to have committed a drug-related slaying. The problem is that LaMarca left his wife, Maggie (Patti LuPone), and Joey years before, following an ugly divorce.

Since I grew up near Long Beach, it was very nostalgic to see the old boardwalk and I am very surprised that it is not used in other movies. The movie focuses too much on LaMarca’s father and what LaMarca missed about his son and very little on why Joey is on the streets. McDormand and Franco are superb, and DeNiro played his usual good cop/bad cop role .

I give the movie 3 hoots out of 5