Family Business

1989

Family Business (1989)

TOMATOMETER

38%

——

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

27%

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Movie Info

You've probably already guessed that the Family Business in this all-star melodrama is the business of crime. Adapted from a novel by Vincent Patrick, the film stars Sean Connery as Jessie McMullen, the patriarch of a family of career criminals, including his son Vito (Dustin Hoffman) and grandson Adam (Matthew Broderick). Vito has gone legit, but college-educated Adam remains loyal to his grandfather. Reluctantly, Vito joins his father and son on a big-time heist involving millions of dollars' worth of test-tube specimens. There's many a slip-up and betrayal before the three generations can find a common ground.

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Cast

Sean Connery
as Jessie
Dustin Hoffman
as Vito
Matthew Broderick
as Adam
Rosanna DeSoto
as Elaine
Janet Carroll
as Margie
Victoria Jackson
as Christine
Bill McCutcheon
as Doheny
Deborah Rush
as Michele
Salem Ludwig
as Nat
Rex Everhart
as Ray Garvey
James Tolkan
as Judge
Marilyn Sokol
as Marie
Thomas A. Carlin
as Neary
Tony DiBenedetto
as Phil
John Connell
as Wake "Suit" Cop
Isabell Monk
as Judge
B.D. Wong
as Jimmy Chiu
Wendell Pierce
as Prosecutor
James Carruthers
as Court Clerk
Jack A. O'Connell
as Police Lieutenant
John Capodice
as Tommy
Luis Guzman
as Torres
Dermot McNamara
as Casket Mourner
William Preston Robertson
as Flask Mourner
John P. Connell
as Wake 'Suit' Cop
Raymond H. Bazemore
as 'Caper' Guard
Conrad Fowkes
as 'Caper' Detective
Willie C. Carpenter
as 'Caper' Cop
Hal Lehrman
as Assistant D.A.
Nick Discenza
as Detective
Ed Crowley
as Charlie
Alberto Vasquez
as Prisoner #1
Arthur C. Pierce
as Convict
Elizabeth A. Reilly
as Phil's Girlfriend
June Stein
as Diner Waitress
Karen Needle
as Denise
David Warshofsky
as Parking Attendant
Joe Lisi
as Desk Sergeant
Susan Korn
as Margo
Aideen O'Kelly
as Widow Doheny
George Kodisch
as Wake Cop #1
Paul Forrest
as Tenor #2
Kas Self
as Stand-in for Mr. Hoffman
Tom Dillon
as Tenor
Marilyn Cooper
as Rose
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Critic Reviews for Family Business

All Critics (16) | Top Critics (1)

The pleasure is watching Connery shine as a roguish criminal in a story line that never gels.

May 4, 2011 | Rating: C | Full Review…
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

A terrific seriocomic crime caper that nobody knew how to sell. Often feels like a 1970s movie that somehow ended up in 1989.

Oct 10, 2005 | Rating: 4/5
Fantastica Daily

a bit of a mess

Sep 19, 2004 | Rating: 2/5
Shadows on the Wall

Utterly forgettable, even with its great cast

Aug 12, 2004 | Rating: 1/5
Kalamazoo Gazette

[S]urprisingly compelling...

Feb 7, 2003 | Full Review…
Flick Filosopher

Star-studded cliched rubbish

Aug 7, 2002 | Rating: 2/5
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
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Audience Reviews for Family Business

Three generations of robbers, played by top actors, creates an interesting chemistry and chance for fun scenes. The relationship between the grandson (Matthew Broderick) and his grandfather (Sean Connery) is cool; the spike is with the daddy Dustin Hoffman. There's some sadness to be expected with the fun, however.

Lafe Fredbjornson
Lafe Fredbjornson

Super Reviewer

½

Should have been a much better film. It's all rather bland.

Steve K
Steve K

Super Reviewer

Bloody dull drama about a three-generation crime family and this is one of my worst Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick's movie.

Dean McKenna
Dean McKenna

Super Reviewer

Cliched heist comedy drama that expects you to believe Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman and Matthew Broderick are three generations of some kind of criminal dynasty. Feels like a loose collections of unconvincing mafioso sketches that relies entirely on the star names to gain credibility. It doesn't.

xGary Xx
xGary Xx

Super Reviewer

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