User reviews

I really like boxing movies, so when I read the summary and saw the cast I thought this was going to be a pretty good flick...I watched the whole movie, but never really got into it.

The boxing lead didn't come off as a very good actor and I had a lot of trouble buying Shannen Doherty as the love interest he spent so long pining away for. I'm sure they are close in actual age, but Doherty looks like she's in her mid 50's in this movie and she's not in very good shape, which made the flashbacks to when they younger look kind of weird.

I think the screenplay itself was probably fine, this movie just needed a slightly different cast along with better directing...

I knew this movie wasn't going to be a classic before I watched it, so my expectations were low going in. The opening scenes were actually quite promising. I'm a sucker for nostalgia and for the whole plucky underdog made good thing. However, this movie didn't work for me. The plot is thick with the worst kind of tropes. I mean, really thick. I'd love to say it was so bad, it was good... But it really wasn't. I'd skip this one if I were you. Its not rocky and it's not good- fellas. It has a MOTW feel. I believe the main actor also wrote it. I wonder if he funded it too? I can't understand how it would have got made otherwise. There are some good actors in there, but they're under utilised and don't make any impact. There's even a surprise cameo towards the end. I won't spoil it, but it's laughable. By that point, after cliché on top of cliché, the scene just felt self indulgent.

A young man grows up In a mob controlled neighbourhood in Brooklyn. Being half Italian and half Puerto Rican he faces constant challenges. His father is a drunk and his mother is always working which gives him ample time to pound the sand bag. Michael Madsen plays a mob boss who sets up the boy with a trainer played by Danny Glover, seeing potential in him. His mother is killed by a hit and run driver which changes his life. He now strives to be middleweight champion of the world.

They try and make a Rocky meets Goodfellas with mostly unbelievable characters. Alec Baldwin and Madsen do fine but the rest? The story focuses on his growing up and the life around him. The run time is two hours which is too long for this one. Mike Tyson's cameo was cheesy as he shows up to give the boxer a pep talk, which looks like he was reading off a prompt.

story has potential. But man most of the people in this movie deliver such bad lines and such bad acting its mostly painful. Save your time and watch something else its over 2h. 1h to 1:30 would be more than enough. Hope i save someone from watching this. A mixed blood kid grows up in a tough part of town. A mafia man helps him in his road in boxing. Sounds good right? Nope.Shannen Doherty is terrible, never though she was great but save me from her acting or lack of.Alec Baldwin has a very small part but is bearable. Danny Glover haven't seen him in a while and he did a reasonable job with what they gave him. Mike Tyson well just nice to see him i guess. William DeMeo does not look like a boxer and for me me seemed always kinda off but had a couple moments.

This movie could have been worse but I don't know how. To be fair, the make-up was pretty good. Other strong points were the costumes, the sound and some of the stunt work. There were actually 2 or 3 legitimate actors involved which might say something about either their desperate financial situation or owing someone a favor. On the minus side, some of the stunt work was bad, the acting amateur hour, the script was pathetic and the direction stunk. Who in their right mind financed this joke is the main question the viewer is left with. And that's why it's a troubling experience, even a painful one to watch Back in the Day. Like the title, a bad cliché from start to long awaited finish. And for those who like boxing movies this one will make you rush to a musical. It doesn't deserve a 1 but there's no 0 option.

This has to be the most pathetic attempt to steal from the movies a bronx tale, mean, streets, goodfellas and rocky. No script pr storyline. No cinematography and bad music soundtrack. Its as if the lead actor wants to live out his fantasy of being Rocky. The story focuses on Lefty played by the shows producer, director, camera man and scriptwriter william demeo who at the of 59 wants to make a boxing comeback. The younger version is played by cris demeo who is such a bad actor you wonder how he really gets any role. Do not waste your time on this trash movie.

Cristian demeo plays a younger version of william demeo in this horrible goodfellas rocky rip off. Cris is more horrible than his dad William. William demeo plays Lefty a 60 year old predophiler who wants to go into boxing. The only good actor was Michael Madsen who did this for a paycheck.

William DeMeo really must be a nice and communicative guy. He produced, wrote and starred in this film (he's the main character: the Anthony Rodriguez guy, the boxer…) and I think he saved it too.

I'm saying it because sometimes it's only because of him if some really badly written and really badly acted scenes did not kill the entire story.

This is the (long: about two hours) story of a Brooklyn middleweight trying to fight his way through all the difficulties that life and a violent neighborhood put on his path. It's a classic, so don't expect anything original: the plot is catching nonetheless and some very good actors (Alec Baldwin, Danny Glover, William Madsen…) help the film shine and look more real.

Do not waste your time. This movie was the most boring movie I saw. Idiotic script, incredibly wooden acting (Madsen and Baldwin are fine, but then they should be). A very hard movie to watch because of the screenplay, the acting and the direction. I'm only twenty minutes in but oh my god this is bad. Everything about it is terrible: writing, directing, acting, photography, sets, music, even the stunts. I'm disturbed that the user ratings are as high as they are. I don't understand how films like this get made of funded. I understand the need to "wash" money but why invest in this garbage.

The worst actor was Cris Demeo who cannot act and probably got the role because William DeMeo is the lead actor, producer and director. Not surprised as I have never seen Cris demeo in any film unless william demeo is in it.

Back in the Day shows a glimpse into Brooklyn circa 80's.

On the streets not only making a name for one's self, Rodriguez is able to over come the odds, with both perseverance and triumph.

I found myself rooting in favor and stoked with the wins.

Well done.

I'm inspired.

William De Meo shows what hard work and keeping it moving is all about.

Chris De Meo's performance had an air of dignity that was exciting to watch.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from West Street Productions.

The movie contains a lot of cheesy, stagy acting. The story is choppy and there is excessive use of flashbacks. The movie has an almost amateurish quality to it, as if it was filmed in one take and then quickly edited and put together into one reel. Nevertheless, the movie tells a good story, about a young man struggling to be a success in the mean world populated by a lot of shady people. The movie succeeds in making the audience care about what happens to him. To be a winner he has to overcome numerous obstacles. Of course, the premise is contrived, but that aside, it still succeeds as a story. One leaves the theatre feeling good about the young man and about all he has to go through to achieve redemption. That the story is set in Brooklyn, New York gives it a gritty quality which further strengthens the movie. Although this movie has its flaws, it also has its strong points, and is worth watching.

Completely copied from multiple great movies, it seems like William tried to put together goodfellas and Rocky. The acting is absolutely horrible, other than Alec Baldwin. William DeMeo should not be blamed, the person or people who told him he could act should be blamed. Christian DeMeo was either forced against his will to be in this movie by his father or was brainwashed when he was young that his father was a good actor.

The tough streets of Brooklyn is the backdrop except every house in every neighborhood looks nice? DeMeo looked lean an mean, but his writing and acting was not good. For some strange reason this guy is infatuated with gangsters. The story is the rags to riches climb for Anthony Rodrigues who's picked on as a kid for being 1/2 Spanish. Maybe in the 60's - not in the 80's. Anyway, he makes it, wins the title, then has a comatose interview with a half-asleep and totally disinterested Larry Merchant. The live story between DiMeo and Shannon Doherty is ice cold.

Danny Glover was asleep saying his lines, Michael Madden looked and acted awful, Alec Baldwin was good, Annabella Sciora was horrendous opposite Christian DiMeo, and Joe Dinofrio was his usual bad self. Too many obvious cliches - they actually call Dinofrio, a Joe Pesci wannabe. Directorial decision we're all wrong especially the ridiculous cameo of Paul Borgese who directed the mess. The Best thing about the film were the muscle cars.

This film tells the story of a man from Brooklyn, who grew up in a tough neighbourhood controlled by Mafia. With the support from the highest levels of gangsters, he becomes a successful boxer after going through a rough and tough journey.

I thought "Back in the Day" was a film about boxing, but it actually was a film about gangsters and their fights. I like the story because it tells how Anthony's​ childhood shapes the adult he becomes. He has a lot of good virtues, such as loyalty and determination. His friendship with Matty and his love for Maria are well portrayed, while the metaphorical and physical fights with his nemesis Dominic are realistic. I enjoyed the film.

William, I'm such a new fan only seeing him in Gotti. So I'm currently watching all of his catalog. I'm not mad at his efforts. He writes and acts.

Its a little slow, the plot is unique. The acting is okay. I'd watch it again.

Watch this Movie last Night is good the Cast is very good Alec Baldwin Shannen Doherty Mike Tyson Danny Glover Michael Madsen and Annabella Sciorra

great movie great cast will DeMeo outstanding performance ,it's great to see how people work really hard to get what they achieve this movie tells the tale of a neighborhood that had racism and problems filled with action suspense and real life tails will and his cast doing an amazing job at bringing an old-school era back to New School reality,I purchase the movie and watched it you won't be disappointed watching this movie,if you love boxing and you grew up in the seventies and eighties in Brooklyn this movie is a must-see,Michael Madsen Alec Baldwin and Joey donofrio did a really nice job at coming together what a feeling like this,Michael Delprete Brooklyn

This movie is an amazing take on boxing and the real life trials and tribulations of a young boy with the love of the sport and the surrounding neighborhood and hard life. The acting is extremely good and the storyline is well written. I watched it a few times and really appreciated the message behind the movie. I highly recommend this movie!!! A plus

William DeMeo's vision of this story is carried out flawlessly. He wrote an authentic script and performed realistically as the nice guy who won't let bullies walk all over him portraying Lefty Rodriguez. His training in real life as a boxer allows him to execute the boxing scenes believably. His son, Cris DeMeo, plays the teen version of William, which is perfect, since you can see the family resemblance, and Cris is a great actor in his own right. I'm a fan of all of William DeMeo's movies and this is one of my favorites.

A very good sports drama film about the life story of Anthony Rodriguez and 'The Lords of Brooklyn', which is a kind of crossover between Goodfellas and Rocky.