Ash Wednesday (2002 film)
Ash Wednesday is a 2002 crime drama film written, directed, and starring Edward Burns. The film also stars Elijah Wood, and Rosario Dawson. The film is set in the Hell's Kitchen of the early 1980s and is about a pair of Irish-American brothers who become embroiled in a conflict with the Irish mob.
| Ash Wednesday | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Edward Burns |
| Produced by | Edward Burns Margot Bridger |
| Written by | Edward Burns |
| Starring | Edward Burns Elijah Wood Rosario Dawson Oliver Platt |
| Music by | David Shire |
| Cinematography | Russell Lee Fine |
| Edited by | David Greenwald |
Production company | Malboro Road Gang Productions |
| Distributed by | Focus Features IFC Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English Spanish |
| Box office | $2,942 |
Plot
Hell's Kitchen on Ash Wednesday, 1983; rumors are flying that Francis Sullivan's (Edward Burns) younger brother Sean (Elijah Wood), dead for three years, has reappeared. If he wasn't killed by rivals, then old scores still need settling, putting both Francis and Sean in danger. An upstart is pressuring the local mob boss, who's Francis's protector; Sean's wife, Grace (Rosario Dawson), believes she's a widow and has gotten on with her life, but Sean has come back for her. The parish priest, part of the initial deception, is frightened. Bad guys with guns are closing in. Can Francis get Sean and his wife out of the city, avoid a war between rival factions, and hold onto new-found morality? Will the cross of ashes on his forehead protect him?
Francis helps Sean reunite with Grace and his son, Sean Jr., and they head out of the city together in the back of a van, but Francis stays behind to stop Moran (Oliver Platt). The film closes with Francis wiping the cross of ashes from his forehead. When he steps outside of the pub minutes later, he is shot down. He dies and the sniper leaves the scene before the police arrives.
Cast
- Edward Burns as Francis Sullivan
- Elijah Wood as Sean Sullivan
- Rosario Dawson as Grace Quinonez
- Oliver Platt as Moran
- James Handy as Father Mahoney
- Brian Burns as Cousin Mike Moran
- Vincent Rubino as Vinny Boombata
- James Cummings as J.C.
- Pat McNamara as Murph
- John DiResta as Pete
- Malachy McCourt as Whitey
- Peter Gerety as Uncle Handy
- Brian Delate as Crazy George Cullen
Critical reception and box office
The film received a 29% "rotten" rating on the website Rotten Tomatoes.[1] The film was only released in two theaters and grossed less than $3,000.