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‘A Bronx Tale’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan

September 19, 2023 · A Bronx Tale (1993) · Crime · Drama · 1:57:53 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 24:18A Bronx Tale influenced The Sopranos more than any other movie, with Sonny and Tony Soprano being very similar characters
Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:23Moderated rather than offering his own take; his contribution is a riff asking whether Lorenzo's wife should have started an affair with Sonny ('she thought about it... you're turning down $150 a week').
Chris Ryan▶ 1:22:29Lorenzo had to take the money on the bus — life-changing money at the time, and the butterfly effect of taking it might have saved lives; one step further: 'Lorenzo's a bad dad' (the MTA cracking down over running numbers isn't a real fear).
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:22:56Lorenzo was dishonest: telling C 'the working man is the real hero' was the wrong message — the working man is the person who gets fucked in this society, and everybody knows it now.
Van Lathan▶ 1:23:40Wanted Sonny to be C's dad — 'Lorenzo's getting on my nerves... Sonny to me was a better father, man. Sonny's got to take him further in life... Chose the wrong dad.'

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:35Baseball nostalgia in 1961 (Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak being more significant when baseball dominated), narrator working in the movie, Terrell Hicks quote about interracial relationships, guy with nickname 'Zero', Beatles and Jimi Hendrix music
Chris Ryan▶ 1:14:35Mafia movies where guys say 'Get the fuck out of here!' (100% hit rate), Donald Byrd song that plays in the movie
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:14:49Casting of the young people (Lilo Brancato, Terrell Hicks), Donald Byrd's 'Christ the Redeemer' song
Van Lathan▶ 1:15:29Interracial relationships (now seen everywhere in Target commercials and prescription drug ads), racism persisting, stop snitching/neighborhood omerta culture in hip-hop

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:43Discusses Little C serving coffees, once a week steak, and Shea Bippy bar as potential options

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:17:23Sonny getting shot, when it slows down and Sonny does the 'come here, come here' gesture
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:12The lineup shot where all the mobsters are lined up down the sidewalk, looking directly into camera
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:17:55Scene where young C and friends chase the bus with the black kid, but C turns around to see his father De Niro in the window giving him a sign, showing C caught between two worlds
Van Lathan▶ 1:17:43Terrell Hicks on the bus looking impossibly beautiful

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:18:16C using the N-word and how it's handled in the story; also mentions the door test not aging well and C's long running scene at the end
Chris Ryan▶ 1:20:51The door test and generally misogynistic language like 'look at those broads over there'
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:04Molotov cocktailing an entire neighborhood and shooting people in the street in broad daylight
Van Lathan▶ 1:21:01The racism stuff - specifically how C's use of a racial slur isn't properly addressed in the relationship

Ron Burgundy Flute Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:21:31When he's jogging near the end before Sonny gets shot
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:21Initially suggests the Francis Capra section to get to the Broncato section, then agrees with the very beginning
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:21:54Agrees the beginning feels like a one-man show explaining the setting
Van Lathan▶ 1:21:38The very beginning

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:06Mentions having a title but doesn't clearly state what it is
Van Lathan▶ 1:22:08Goodfellas 2, Jungle Fever

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:22:24A Satisfying Life is Wasted Talent

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:52Lillo Brancato — Discusses Catherine Narducci bringing her son to audition for Collerito, Frank Vincent was supposed to appear as a Mafia boss but scene wasn't filmed, Philip Garbarino lost the Collerito role to Lillo Brancato Jr. and was given Sonny's killer role instead
Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:09Comments on pronunciation of Collerito and suggests it would have been tough to cast established actors in the racist friend roles
Van Lathan▶ 1:24:21Kathrine Narducci — Notes Catherine Narducci played Artie's wife in Sopranos and discusses her character's storyline with Tony and Carmella

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:17Chazz Palminteri — No for De Niro and Pesci, Yes for Broncato, Yes for Chaz Palminteri (this movie), Yes for crap scenes and father-son movies, No for Kathleen Narducci and Italian movies
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:21Chazz Palminteri — Agrees this is Chaz Palminteri's apex (over Bullets Over Broadway nomination), discusses bus drivers in movies
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:29:34Bullets Over Broadway — Bullets Over Broadway (1994) for Chaz Palminteri due to Oscar nomination
Van Lathan▶ 1:30:37Django Unchained — Django Unchained for racist getting burned alive

Racehorse Name Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:32:11Suggested multiple options: Kologito, Three Great Women (for a filly), considered Kryptonite but thought it was bad, and praised Satan's Messenger as a great racehorse name

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:39:25Initiated the category, listing potential actors (Wayne Jenkins, Frank Vincent, etc.) and asking if the movie would be improved with their inclusion. He acknowledges Chris Ryan's preparation and seems generally positive about the idea.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:39:33Wayne Jenkins as the fruit peddler, delivering a colorful, profanity-laced monologue about peaches and a horse-drawn cart.

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:40:20Chazz Palminteri — Chaz for Best Supporting Actor
Chris Ryan▶ 1:40:23Chazz Palminteri — Chaz for Best Supporting Actor
Van Lathan▶ 1:40:25Chazz Palminteri — Chaz for Best Supporting Actor

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:44:57How would the movie be different if Chaz sold the script to De Niro with Scorsese directing - believes it would be more exciting with better action scenes like the biker fight becoming one of the best six-minute scenes of the 90s
Chris Ryan▶ 1:42:35Who plants the car bomb - believes it was the Hells Angels/Satan's messengers, not the same person who assassinated Sonny
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:43:10Thinks car bomb was planted by the same kid who killed Sonny as a failed first attempt, and agrees Scorsese would have made it more exciting and thrilling
Van Lathan▶ 1:43:23Discussed car bomb perpetrator (thinks it was another crew that tried car bomb then sent assassin) and questioned why bikers were in the Bronx

Best Double Feature

Chris Ryan▶ 1:45:57This Boy's Life — Boy's Life

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:41Saddest thing in life is wasted talent

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:46:44Chazz Palminteri — Chaz
Chris Ryan▶ 1:46:57Chazz Palminteri — Chaz
Van Lathan▶ 1:46:59Joe Pesci — Crazy Mario

Movies Referenced (33)

Goodfellas (1990)

23 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 20:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Speed (1994)

7 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:30:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Casino (1995)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan▶ 1:00:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Godfather (1972)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 3:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

This Boy's Life (1993)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 35:37IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ghost (1990)

3 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 1:08:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 35:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Wick (2014)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:26:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Irishman (2019)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 38:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cape Fear (1991)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 35:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 3:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Country Strong (2010)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 1:31:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

Martin Scorsese

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Taxi Driver, Killers of the Flower Moon, Mean Streets▶ 10:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andrea Bias

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Black Adam, A Simple Favor, The Intern▶ 0:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Baron Davis

2 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for That's My Boy▶ 1:47:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

AFI

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 39:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Lewis

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Little Miss Sunshine▶ 54:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 1:31:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 5:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tennis

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (55)

Robert De Niro

36 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Cape Fear, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver▶ 2:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chaz Bono

34 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 28:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mariachi El Bronx

25 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for We Bought a Zoo▶ 2:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Montanaro

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Bronx Tale▶ 58:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Pesci

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Goodfellas, Raging Bull, The Irishman▶ 15:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mickey Mantle

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey▶ 11:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Harper

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Fighter, State of Play▶ 15:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Vincent

7 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Goodfellas, Casino▶ 1:24:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Wayne

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Quiet Man▶ 25:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Deion Sanders

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Street Fighter, Draft Day, Celtic Pride▶ 56:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rob Schneider

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Hot Chick▶ 1:28:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Danny Trejo

3 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Predators▶ 58:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Jane Kennedy

2 mentions · Van Lathan▶ 12:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Andy Greenwald

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 1:03:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗