City by the Sea: DeNiro scores again

City by the Sea is a carefully crafted masterpiece with one standout support: Robert DeNiro. The man is an undeniable genius at portraying even the most intricate characters accurately and realistically. With this god of the silver screen on board, the film manages to transcend overworked Hollywood dramas and actually evoke heartfelt emotions.

A choice supporting cast, well-written script, and involving plot provide solid foundations for DeNiro's magic, making this film one of the most delightful and authentic dramas of the year. It's a sharp contrast to some of last year's tearjerkers (I Am Sam, for one), which seemed to strive more for Oscar nominations than a realistic story.

This film isn't exactly one hundred percent down-to-earth either, but at least the plot is mostly believable. Opening with an old school portrayal of Long Beach as the picturesque city by the sea, the movie soon switches to a current view of the formerly cutesy city: rundown, derelict, and full of drug dealers. Idling down the street is one young man by the nickname Joey Nova (James Franco), who is soon uncovered to be the son of famous New York city detective Vincent LeMarca (Robert DeNiro).

LeMarca is a man whose persona is dominated by the hidden demons of his past, which include one biggie: leaving behind a wife and son. These demons seem to catch him at the most coincidental of times. For instance, LeMarca is called to investigate the murder of a drug dealer called "Picasso" and quickly uncovers that the murderer is in fact the son he left long ago, Joey.

But LeMarca would have to be one amazing detective to solve the mystery in the lightning fifteen minutes it takes him; his discovery feels rushed, like the film wanted to plow through the details and just get to the real story—LeMarca's struggle for redemption from the wrongs of his past by rescuing his son from drug addiction and a criminal life.

The film almost loses focus upon the abrupt transition from action-intrigue to drama, struggling to regain its footing and its deeper meaning. Nevertheless, the fabulous cast and superior directing place this story right back on track after only a couple of floundering scenes.

The Washington Post may label this plot line "hackneyed," but the careful intertwining of LeMarca's lonely life and Joey's pain-riddled existence hit me hard. The uplifting ending is fairly unrealistic and DeNiro's closing speech is trite, but the film's quality is undeniable.

City by the Sea may be a long and rocky ride, yet when it finally surfaces from the depressing gloom, you feel that the trip was worthwile.

CITY BY THE SEA (R, 108 minutes) – Contains graphic drug use and violence. At area theaters.