John Turturro is one of those unique character actors that you can’t seem to shake. From his immeasurable success with the Coen Brothers (Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink) to his haunting simplicity in Stephen King’s Secret Window, this is a guy that seeps into the audience’s collective conscience. This is precisely the reason why it was a bit intimidating to find myself screening a movie with him in the small confines of the Regal 4 on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall. This may have also contributed to my beginning our conversation with: “Nice to meet you, Mr. T-T-T-T-Turturro.”

All jokes aside, Turturro proved to be very approachable and I would like to thank him again for a great film experience. With that out of the way, let’s turn to the film Mac, his first directorial effort in which he stars.Twelve years in the making, Mac became almost an obsession with Turturro. With the story based on his father, one cannot but admire this tireless pursuit to deliver a film worthy of its subject matter. The story, set in the 1950s, revolves around Niccolo “Mac” Vitelli (Turturro) and his brothers as they try to make it in the construction business. With success around the corner, things get complicated as Mac’s commitment to his craft begins to take over his life and affect those close to him.

If we put Mac in the context of being a director’s first attempt, then it should be considered an unquestioned success. Turturro not only brings quality acting to the foreground, but also a unique perspective behind the camera. After spending a good deal of time with the likes of Joel and Ethan Coen and Spike Lee, it is quite apparent that their flair for invention has rubbed off on Turturro. We see this most notably in the opening credits showing the construction of a home’s foundation in the rain and the first minutes of the film depicting an almost surreal Italian funeral. These opening sequences are so well-executed that the audience can’t help but become visually absorbed by the film.

However, within this success we, unfortunately, find a flaw. Turturro never revisits this creative dynamic, composed of heavily nuanced shot selections, even as the audience begs for its return. But this may be by design as Mac continues down a different path marked with surprising versatility.

Through a wonderful blend comedy and drama, Mac offers something for all members of the audience to enjoy. Not many films can find the right exchange between these mediums, but somehow Mac makes it work. Turturro is able to find laughter amid a rather dreary backdrop of working-class immigrants struggling with the minutia of their blue-collar travails. This is where the film succeeds and allows Turturro to, yet again, leave a lasting impression on the audience.

Adam Neal is the founder of featurefilmreview.com. Please e-mail comments to adam(@)featurefilmreview.com.