Leo (played by Ray Romano) and Angela Russo (Laurie Metcalf) are the proud parents of “Sticks,” a promising high school basketball player (Jacob Ward) who’s just played his last game. They discover their otherwise quiet and reserved son is dating Dani (Sadie Stanley), a wayward spirit with dreams of driving cross country to “figure life out” after graduation. The family starts to walk down the college athletics path when the young couple breaks up, sending Sticks into a depression that affects his chances of getting a scholarship. A helpless Leo tries to grasp at whatever straw his brain can come up with but it just leads to more pain.
Romano shows more range than I’d given him credit for, I felt every ounce of pain Ward portrayed through his character and Stanley impressed, proving she’s more than just her bubblegum pop persona of Kim Possible. But the true powerhouse here was Metcalf. Whether the scene called for comedic timing, a heartfelt line, an emotional breakdown, a quick witted one-liner or an anxious moment, Metcalf delivered time and time again.
The story is very vanilla. A dad lives vicariously through his son’s athletic potential and a family tries to comfort their kid who’s dealing with an ill-timed broken heart. But, in its simplicity, it possesses highly relatable situations to the audience and that’s the real victory of Somewhere in Queens.
If you’re single or newly married without kids, you may not get a lot out of it. You’ll appreciate the performances but may leave the theater with a sense of emptiness. If you’re a parent of a high schooler or older, however, buckle up. This is a charming film about good intentions regardless of consequences, undoubtedly forcing you to relive past mistakes and triumphs with your own kids.
JKG SCORE: 7.0
Untitled Film Project 