Those not entirely fatigued by the sight of on-screen gangsters would do well to rent State of Grace, the '90 Phil Joanou entry about strained, divided adult loyalties of childhood friends. It's an extremely well-directed piece of work, if a bit overlong (could well have used 20 minutes chopped off). A babyfaced Sean Penn returns to the neighbourhood of his adolescence (Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen) after a mysterious absence. There, he finds his old buddies (brothers Ed Harris and Gary Oldman) have become deeply involved in petty organized crime. Penn hopes their criminal ways can be overcome, but finds the resentment they feel over the gentrification of the 'hood leaves them particularly bitter (and not particularly open to change). There are a number of truly great touches here, including the opening credit sequence, one of those that demand multiple viewings. Ennio Morricone's score is a haunting standout, even by his high standards. And not surprisingly, Penn, Harris and Oldman deliver performances that are nothing short of incredible, with Oldman, typically, hamming it up to the hilt. » Matthew Hays