Little Odessa (1994)
- Starring:
- Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, (more)
- Director(s):
- James Gray
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
My RatingTheatrical Release Information | See Details About All Versions
A somber portrait of organized crime and family trauma, Little Odessa centers on the trouble caused when hit man Joshua Shapira (Tim Roth) returns to his old neighborhood of Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. A hired killer for the Russian Mafia, Joshua is given an assignment in his hometown, where he renews contact with his younger brother Reuben (Edward Furlong) and an old flame (Moira Kelly). But others do not welcome Joshua's return, particularly his harsh, estranged father (Maximillian Schell), who had disowned Joshua years before and currently attempts to keep him from visiting his seriously ill mother (Vanessa Redgrave). The pressure of these family crises combine with Joshua's deepening involvement in the local crime scene, ultimately triggering a bloody confrontation. First-time director James Gray creates a solemn, oppressive atmosphere that emphasizes the already grim nature of his story. The slow pace and familiar crime narrative were attacked by many viewers, contributing to a mixed critical reaction, but Little Odessa nevertheless won admiration for Gray's visual sense and the skilled performance by Roth in the unsympathetic lead role. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 98 mins
Complete Cast:
- Tim Roth - Joshua Shapira
- Moira Kelly - Alla Shustervich
- Maximilian Schell - Arkady Shapira
- Natalya Andreichenko - Natasha
- Mina Bern - Grandma Tsilya
- David Ross - Anatoly
- Edward Furlong - Reuben Shapira
- Vanessa Redgrave - Irina Shapira
- Paul Guilfoyle - Boris Volkoff
- David Vadim - Sasha
- Ron Brice - Man with one leg
- Director(s):
- James Gray
- Writer(s):
- James Gray
- Producer(s):
- Paul Webster
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Adult Language, Adult Situations, Violence, Not For Children)
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
- Check All Versions
- 1994 - Venice International Film Festival - Volpi Cup for Best Supporting Actress
- 1994 - Venice International Film Festival - Silver Lion







