Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Vincent LaMarca is a dedicated and well-respected New York City police detective who has gone to great lengths to distance himself from his past, but then makes the terrible discovery that his own son has fallen into a life of crime.
City by the Sea is a workmanlike crime drama elevated somewhat by Robert De Niro's committed lead performance but hampered by a formulaic father-son estrangement narrative that follows predictable beats. The cinematography captures a gritty urban atmosphere adequately but without distinction. The plot, while grounded in real events, unfolds in a by-the-numbers procedural fashion with few surprises. The ending feels rushed and emotionally unsatisfying, failing to fully capitalize on the dramatic potential built up earlier. Novelty suffers as the film recycles familiar themes of generational shame and police family drama without offering a fresh perspective.