SOMEWHERE in QUEENS Starring Ray Romano/Laurie Metcalf

The non-heralded, just released to screening SOMEWHERE in QUEENS, is a somewhat entertaining movie of an Italian, working class family in Queens centered around a father, Leo Russo (Ray Romano), mother, Angela (Laurie Metcalf) and their son Danny, a senior in high school.  Danny is a nice, quiet kid who comes alive on the basketball court.  Leo is a helicopter dad who goes from doting to doing something really bad, but with the best of intentions for his son.  Leo works construction for his father and brother's company, alongside two nephews and two longtime friends.  Every Sunday, the entire Russo family gathers round the dining table to share a meal full of meatballs, squabbles and swats on the side of various heads.  To say the family is at a loss for love is analogous to accusing the matriarch of not making enough food on Sunday to feed their entire parish.  (Perish this anathema thought of not enough food prepared.)  Any special event; birthdays, engagements, weddings, anniversaries, the entire Russo clan bans together to fete one another's miles stones.  It's understandable since Matthew is the youngest, he might be on the diffident side.  But, Danny is shy on an entirely different level.  Danny battles social anxiety and has flown mainly under the radar.  He's expected to join his dad, uncles, cousins and granddad in the Russo construction business post-graduation.  Everyone, including Danny is content with this plan except for dear old dad.  Leo lives for going to see his son shine on the basketball court at his school games.  The night of Danny's last high school game, a college basketball scout encounters Leo in the parking lot.  The two banter about the game and Danny's potential.  The scout is dismayed to learn Danny's plans don't include college.  He offers to put in a good word for Matthew at a university in NJ.  Following the last high school game brings other surprises. The parents meet Dani, Matthew's girlfriend for the first time.  Leo is unabashedly pleased while Angela's displeasure is evident.  Regardless, Angela invites Dani to family dinner on Sunday.  The family convenes around the table and the consensus is Matthew has himself a real spitfire and a keeper.  Matthew would like to keep the romance going but Dani soon breaks off their relationship.  This puts Matthew in a tailspin derailing plans for Matthew's tryout for the sport scholarship for college.  Leo grossly oversteps and a farcical plot ensues.  Romano is the star, writer and director of this somewhat charming, likable family comedy.  Some of the time, Romano over plays his part and over directs Metcalf who plays her role with too much hostility.  Somewhere the good intentions of familial love gets muddled up in deception which leads this to a somewhat middling recommendation from me.