State of Grace

Phil Joanou's Sean Penn-starring mob movie State of Grace was originally released around the same time as Goodfellas, so first time round it might as well have been staring up at Ray Liotta and Joe Pesci from the trunk of a car for all the chance it had of survival.

A Blu-ray re-release gives it a second chance and it's definitely worth catching in its revitalised form. Penn plays Terry, the prodigal son returning home to his old New York neighbourhood and falling back in with his old crew: Jackie (Gary Oldman) his wild-eyed best pal, Jackie's older brother Frankie (Ed Harris), who now runs the local Irish mob, and their sister Kathleen (Robin Wright).

Joanou is no Scorsese but he successfully builds a satisfying crime flick around Oldman's electrifying performance, rounded out by a great and varied supporting cast and topped off with a soundtrack courtesy of Ennio Morricone. [Ross McIndoe]