This was a surprise film for me, a surprise in seeing Jim Belushi do this film, that is. He was just coming out of the cloud of his brother and I think he tried to get into serious (versus comedic) cinema. This might have been the wrong vehicle as a step-out serious film. Unfortunately, this film, for a good lot of American audiences who generally need their cinema spoon-fed, is lackluster. But, as one poster mentioned the film is much like a travelogue of Palermo, the only thing missing is the smell, scent & the tactility that only actual placement can give. But the vivacity, spirit, color, timbre and mystery of the place is certainly provocatively portrayed in this film. I did not like the on-screen marriage of Mimi Rogers with Mr Belushi, but I felt he did quite well with the script as he could best interpret it, the little professional acting he had when this film was produced. The scene where he follows a stunning woman (Caroline Rossi?) continues, some years after I watched this film, to play itself back. The ending surprised me for a quick moment but then, again, what other ending could there be. We have a drug problem in the USA, as well as other countries, because there is an ample well of providers, including those who claim allegiance to its ills & dangers, in addition to a hungering population seeking any avenue of escape other than self-examination and the long process of self-cleansing. You can't expect a hungering populace to stop taking drugs that when you ask them to take a pill for what ever ills you. This film basically says the powers-that-be will not allow the drug to stop and will kill whomever tries to stop. If you're expecting what is now considered a typical drug/conspiracy movie you will be disappointed. You will have to do a wee bit of thinking, but not enough to tire yourself if you're not a natural thinker. If you're looking for a good movie of intrigue & mystery set in the intriguing & mysterious major city of Sicily then you could be pleasantly surprised. It is not your normal fare, for this type of film, but your IQ has to be a bit more than that of a gnat.

i think James Belushi really needed some quick cash because while he's not exactly an a-list actor he certainly has done better work than this . i mean who actually thought that anyone would or could sit through this burnt turd.i just want to warn all my fellow movie buffs. some movies although slow can be appreciated but not this snot stain. so if your in the mood for an older movie that maybe you haven't seen then try FLASHPOINT with Kris Kristopherson. but to fair don't give up on Jim Belushi just yet, just look at this as #1 he needed the money, #2 he didn't think anyone would see it anyway, and #3 he forgot to read the script but that doesn't matter because it doesn't make sense anyway.

The Director Francesco Rosi have sign this extraordinary documentary-reporting on the Italian Mob and his relation towards the U.S.A and the Palermo beauty. Rosi is a very good artist, every of his work is extremely real and passionate, he narrate the story and the origin of `his' Palermo with such ability and the that he totally rape you, also if the story is inspired by a book how in this case. Carmine Bonavia is a candidate for a Major of New York with clear Sicilian origin that for grow up in the soundings declared he favorable on the drugs legalization. During his trip wedding through the Palermo city he is beginning to think that maybe this operation can truly `make a difference' for the people, but `they' aren't agree on this question...'Dimenticare Palermo is very interesting for many reasons: 1)the actuality of the arguments treated;2)for knows better the marvels of this country;3)for the intense and dynamic play of James Belushi in the leading character, maybe on the top of his career and all of the rest cast many of them Italian and all very good. The story cleared the relation between Mob and Politic and maybe the line that divided Goods and Evils is so thin that it's almost inexistent, where a man that would truly `make the different' can't do nothing cause the system is too great, dirty and corrupted for him. James Belushi is great in the powerful and energy role of Carmine Bonavia and during the developed of the story is truly touching his glance to a man blocked and set impotent but not still defeated. My rate is 8.

It depicts why drugs will never be legalized as the problem extends far beyond the casual users and addicts and deals with the big money behind the problem and the bureaucracies built to deal with the problem. The DEA, banks, organized crime etc.