The Cotton Club
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Year Released: 1984
Rating: 2.0
Another mob movie from Coppola, this one set set in the late 20's-early 30's, which involves gangsters and racism and love and good music. Sure, all that sounds great, but unfortunately this isn't one of his better works. The plot (what there is of it) deals with two different issues: the Richard Gere story line has him working for a mob boss and falling in love with his teenage girlfriend (played by a cute Diane Lane). The second is about Gregory Hines and his relationship with his brother ... which doesn't exactly make much sense. Frankly, I don't think these two story lines have much to do with each other, and I wish Coppola would have simply focused on one or the other. Highlights: Hines' great dancing, Gere's cornet solos (which were done by the actor himself) and the very presence of Bob Hoskins.
