Oct. 31, 2019|United States|145 Min.|R
Genre: Drama;Thriller
Description: **Motherless Brooklyn (2019): Full Movie Plot Summary**
Set in 1950s New York City, the story follows Lionel Essrog, a detective working alongside Gilbert Coney, Danny Fantl, and Tony Vermonte at a private detective agency. Their mentor, Frank Minna, once saved them from a troubled childhood in an abusive orphanage. Lionel, nicknamed “Motherless Brooklyn” by Frank, struggles with Tourette syndrome and OCD, which often isolates him from others. However, his exceptional verbal and photographic memory make him a skilled investigator.
While working on a confidential case, Frank takes Lionel and Gilbert to a meeting. The situation escalates when Frank attempts to negotiate a high price, leading to confrontation. Lionel and Gilbert arrive just in time to witness Frank being shot. Despite their efforts to save him, Frank succumbs to his injuries.
After Frank’s death, his widow Julia entrusts Tony with managing the agency. Lionel starts wearing Frank’s hat and coat, and a matchbook found in Frank’s pocket leads him to a jazz bar in Harlem. Lionel discovers that Frank’s investigation was tied to Laura Rose, who works with Gabby Horowitz to oppose urban renewal projects displacing poor and minority communities.
Lionel infiltrates a public meeting where Moses Randolph, a powerful city commissioner overseeing controversial development programs, faces fierce opposition. Using a reporter’s credentials, Lionel speaks with Paul, a critic of Moses, who reveals the extent of Moses’ influence over the city government.
Posing as a journalist, Lionel builds a connection with Laura. She takes him to a club Frank had been investigating, where her father, Billy, mistakes Lionel for one of Moses’ associates and has him attacked. A trumpet player rescues Lionel, and he later learns that Paul is Moses’ brother and an engineer. Lionel uncovers corruption in housing deals and scams in relocation programs. Eventually, Paul presents Moses with a grand renovation plan aimed at improving the city.
Cast director: Edward Norton
Cast actor: Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Michael Kenneth Williams, Leslie Mann, Ethan Suplee
Original name: Motherless Brooklyn