Collogero's Reality

Collogero's character is a collection of American-Italian stories. In some ways, he is not a character at all, but a symbol for a generation of Italians in a particularly interesting moment in time in which to judge the very subtle differences between right and wrong. A young child see's a hard working father beaten down by his own self-righteous rules whom he loves and respects but he also falls in love with the glamour of gangsterhood. Collogero only eventually gets to know the Sonny's troubles. Throughout the film, as he ages, Collogero swings back and forth on this pendulum of paradigms. This conflict of heroes is an old tale, but Collogero's specific character is born out of the italian american dream story. His reality is very much steeped in the glorification of a gangster lifestyle - money, success, fun, and perhaps most importantly the unique and comradery that only criminal families will experience. When that old world italian clashes with the new world optimism of his hard working father, Collogero is originally deceived and believes that Sonny's lifestyle is the one for him. After the death of his friends, his mentor, and his complete awe at the racism of his neighborhood, Collogero finally moves past his naive views on criminal life. At the end, the heartwarming success of the movie is that Collogero, the next generation, learns and moves foward and continues the American dream.