Wisegal

Infobox_Film
name = Wisegal

---

image_size = 260
caption = "Wisegal" promotional image
writer = Shelley Evans
starring = Alyssa Milano
James Caan
Jason Gedrick
director = Jerry Ciccoritti
producer = Daniel H. Blatt | editing = Brigitte Rabazo
distributor = Lifetime Television
released = March 15, 2008
runtime =
country = USA
language = English
website = http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/movies/wisegal
amg_id =
imdb_id = 1105745
offical_id = [http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/movies/wisegal Lifetime]

"Wisegal" is a Lifetime Television crime drama film starring Alyssa Milano and directed by Jerry Ciccoritti. The movie premiered on March 15, 2008.

Plot

"The story is narrated by an adult Nino Montanari, who reminisces on his family history..."

Brooklyn, New York, ca. 1976: Angie resists abandoning baby daughter Patty on a cathedral doorstep and decides to raise her alone in the streets, surviving by their wits. Years later, a teenaged Patty meets and marries kind policeman Dante Montenari, and the couple have two sons: Joey and Nino.

Dante eventually dies of cancer, and the hospital bills have now left the surviving family without any money. Patty must now make ends meet. She quickly befriends local funeral director Frank Russo, with whom she has a romantic relationship, and Frank's boss Salvatore “Sal” Palmeri, with whom she has a business relationship.

Frank uses his persistent and persuasive charms to reel Patty into his world of organized crime. He offers her a job, at a floundering Italian restaurant, which she eventually converts into a successful transvestite nightclub. Sal attends opening night and he is impressed with her business savvy and street smarts. He soon assigns her to serve as his mule; she must drive to Toronto and pick-up half-a-million dollars at a shipboard casino. Patty successfully delivers Sal his money, and soon gains his confidence.

Later, Patty and nightclub friend June must make the same trip to Canada together. En route, Patty witnesses June repeatedly snorting cocaine. While Patty is making her usual pick-up, the casino is raided by police, but she manages to slip through their fingers and return to the hotel where June impatiently waits.

Back in Brooklyn, Frank’s son Mouse has been selling cocaine in the neighborhood. And the teenage boy soon shows up at Patty’s doorstep afraid that his father will beat him up again for not 'staying clean.' Shortly thereafter, a newspaper headline reveals that Mouse has been murdered.

During Mouse’s funeral, Patty watches from a distance as the procession leaves the wake. FBI agent Robert Wilford approaches Patty for help in bringing down Sal’s criminal empire. Robert asks that Patty wear a wire to record incriminating evidence that will facilitate Palmeri’s arrest.

Soon, Patty discovers that June had turned Mouse on to selling her drug, and that Palmeri had placed a hit on him for selling it on the streets. Patty also finds out that Frank asked his boss for permission to, mercifully, kill his own son. June is now fleeing for her life, but Patty intercepts her at her apartment, and finds out that she, June, and Frank are probably the next on Palmeri's hit list.

Eventually, Patty persuades Palmeri to let her go free and to not kill Frank unless he continues threatening her family. Soon thereafter, Palmeri and his men are either arrested or killed, and June’s dead body is discovered (presumably from a drug overdose).

The Montenari’s and Angie hop on the next train to Florida, leaving their criminal past behind.

Cast

*Alyssa Milano - Patty Montanari
*James Caan - Salvatore Palmeri
*Jason Gedrick - Frank Russo
*Janet Wright - Angie
*Kyle Harrington - Nino Montanari
*Anthony Moniz Lancione - Nino Montanari (ages 4-6)
*Heather Hanson - June
*Zak Longo - Mouse Russo
*Tulsi Balram - Singer
*Alessandro Costantini - Joey Montanari
*Louca Tassone - Young Joey Montanari
*Anthony Melchiorri - Uncle Tito

Credits

*Executive Producers - Daniel H. Blatt, Joseph Pistone, Leo Rossi and Anthony Melchiorri
*Producers - Alyssa Milano and Terry Gould
*Co-Producer - Danielle McVickers
*Teleplay - Shelley Evans
*Director - Jerry Ciccoritti
*Director of Photography - Gerald Packer
*Production Designer - Franco de Cotiis
*Editor - George Roulston
*Music - John Frizzell
*Casting - Stacey Rosen

Reception

*"Variety" reviewed that "seeing Milano with wads of unmarked bills taped under her breasts is the equivalent of two taste treats in one." [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117936494.html?categoryid=1264&cs=1]
*The Hollywood Reporter stated "Wisegal" is above the Lifetime Original Movie average and said "it's engrossing, if sometimes a bit off the rails in terms of plausibility. It also offers genuinely solid performances, headed by Milano as a butt-kicking heroine along with effective work from bad-dude supreme Jason Gedrick and the ageless James Caan, who seems to speak increasingly softly as the years pile up." [http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/television/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=10813]
*The Philadelphia Inquirer reviewed "Milano is perfect as the tough-gal mom, all feisty and take-charge, even if she can't see the future like good witch Phoebe Halliwell, whom she played in the WB's beloved Charmed." [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/jonathan_storm/20080315_Jonathan_Storm__Moms_in_the_mob__Milano_makes_it_work.html]

Characters

"Patty Montanari"

Patty Montanari is a recently widowed mother of two who turns to the mob when her options begin to run out.

"Salvatore Palmeri"

Salvatore Palmeri is the head of a mafia family who recruits Patty to his organization.

"Frank Russo"

Frank Russo is the mob boss who becomes Patty's lover, and her entrance into the mafia.

External links

*imdb title|id=1105745|title=Wisegal