Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		3.0
Audio		3.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 13, 2022

In the late 1970s, there was no bigger name than John Travolta. He successfully transitioned from a successful television show to big screen glory, scoring back-to-back hits with “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease,” making him one of the most famous faces in Hollywood. John Travolta became a brand, an icon, and a superstar, but this is not the Travolta that appears in 1979’s “Sunnyside.” The producers couldn’t tempt John Travolta into appearing in the low-budget gang picture, so they went the exploitation route, hiring his older brother, Joey, to make his acting debut in the movie, emphasizing similar looks and voices while selling a new Travolta to ticket-buyers hungry for the surname. The scheme didn’t work for obvious reasons, but not helping the cause is the general meandering nature of “Sunnyside,” which hopes to be a tragic understanding of a life handed over to the never-ending cycle of street violence, but mostly remains an airless, deathly dull viewing experience in need of sharper dramatic points and, well, a seasoned lead actor, preferably not named Travolta.

Navigating the hard streets of New York City is Nick (Joey Travolta), the tough leader of the Night Crawlers, a gang who rules their turf with confidence, unafraid to back down from any violent challenges. Nick lives with his family, including his brother, Denny (John Lansing), trying to protect him from the rough elements of the area, supporting his dreams to live a better life elsewhere, joined by his girlfriend, Ann (Talia Balsam). Nick’s peace with the Night Crawlers, and his love, Donna (Stacey Pickren), are soon threatened by rivals The Warlocks, with leader Reaper (Andrew Rubin) determined to break alliances and take command of underworld business. Nick isn’t happy about this shift in power, commencing a war of escalation between the gangs, which eventually turns its attention to private lives with promise, forcing Nick to protect his loved ones at all costs.

Nick is the leader of the Night Crawlers, but he’s depicted as a man of integrity, trying to provide for his troops and maintain control of his turf, which isn’t easy as New York City succumbs to violent events. He’s also a family man, looking after his mother and his brothers, including Denny, who’s viewed as a Great Hope, making plans to better himself, taking Donna out of the city to develop as a promising human being. The very idea of this future delights Nick, who works to protect his sibling, keeping him away from gang affairs. This central relationship is all “Sunnyside” really needs to supply a passable level of drama, with the writing getting into the difficult relationship, which explores elements of control and independence. However, director Timothy Galfas isn’t comfortable with a small-scale understanding of brotherly love, trying to inflate “Sunnyside” with additional issues to simulate an epic study of sacrifice featuring strong-willed men.

“Sunnyside” also deals with the Night Crawlers, with Nick trying to mastermind a truce with his rivals, inspired by, of all things, corrupt business practices at a local carnival. The leader isn’t about to accept rigged games and short rides, concocting a plan to shake up the business with help from The Warlocks, planning to use toy guns as a non-lethal show of force. Reaper has other ideas for the evening of terror, inspiring a war between the sides, which involves the acquisition of cigarettes from a sketchy dealer, bringing business into the middle of the conflict. “Sunnyside” doesn’t have the money to bring violence to life, with Galfas offering a stiff understanding of threats and bodily harm, and his permissiveness with performances often invites hammy overacting, especially from Rubin, who’s looking to own the picture with his take on Reaper’s lust for power.

Things get out of control for Nick, and physical activity is highlighted, with The Warlocks destroying Donna's bakery on the eve of a birthday party, and turf offenses grow hostile, leading to the use of explosives to settle the score. What should be an exciting ride of antagonisms is rendered quite dull by Galfas, who’s not especially skilled with suspense sequences. And the screenplay repeatedly returns to the romantic lives of the brothers, hoping to touch hearts with these softies and their dedication to the females in their lives. Sibling protection is also present, but Travolta isn’t much of an actor, and his flat read of Nick’s authority weakens the feature’s sense of urgency when highlighting desperate actions and frustrations.

Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "Brand new 2K master." The source of the new scan isn't identified, but it's roughed up. Scratches and speckling are common throughout the viewing experience, along with damaged frames, including a few jumpy ones. Detail is soft, with only a basic appreciation of facial surfaces and city tours. Distances also lack distinct dimension. Colors are acceptable, capturing the cooler urban palette, with lots of concrete views and drab apartment spaces. Signage offers more vibrant primaries, along with period outfits. Skintones are natural. It's a very dark looking feature, but delineation struggles at times. Grain is on the chunky side.

Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix battles with age, presenting slightly shrill dialogue exchanges that often battle with background activity, including loud vehicles and street bustle. Unintelligibility isn't a problem, but clarity is periodically threatened. Scoring isn't crisp, but the general presence of disco beats and orchestral efforts is satisfactory. Sound effects are blunt.

Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (9:36, HD) is a chat with actor Chris Mulkey, who recalls his initial meetings with director Timothy Galfas and co- producer Samuel Z. Arkoff, excited to land a part in a Hollywood production. Mulkey remembers his own gang history, clarifying he was in it for the look, not the violence. Spending two months on the shoot, the interviewee identifies cast camaraderie and a near-miss with stunt work, and he details his time as a Universal Studios tour guide, thinking he didn't need the job after the "Sunnyside" shoot. An overview of the ending is provided, with Mulkey equating it to Shakespeare, and he returns to the excitement of the publicity experience for the picture.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:52, HD) is included.

Sunnyside Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Sunnyside" leads to an inevitable clash of the gangs, which is sold with crude violence and wildly inappropriate music choices, adding a disco beat to the slaughter, triggering some unintentional laughs along the way. What should be a major payoff to an extended showdown doesn't land its intended punch, as Galfas renders the feature too slack to raise a proper ruckus. "Sunnyside" isn't "The Warriors," failing to summon a proper level of toughness to score with gang warfare, and its attempts at sincerity are poorly executed with limited talent, allowing the softer side of the endeavor to fall asleep. There's certainly a Travolta in the picture, which provides lubrication for marketing efforts, but Joey isn't the right guy for the job, unable to give the movie enough thespian power to help Galfas elevate his otherwise uninspired film.