Life goes on, that was the theme of the Final Episode of The Sopranos, #86 MADE IN AMERICA. In typical Sopranos fashion, the story continues on, whether we are there to see what happens or not. David Chase chose not to tie up every story point, as the show came to a close. Like in life, some issues just go unresolved, and we move on. Chase, the creator of the show, fittingly wrote and directed the final episode, as he did the original pilot episode. Over the years sometimes frustrating the loyal viewers who, at times, wanted typical television show closure. Chase, led us through this winding road, of the life of a mob boss trying to balance his two families. We should not have expected Dr. Melfi to come back or any closure on Silvio, their stories remain lingering. Also, like in real life, the cops will continue to do their jobs and go after the bad guys. Tony will always have to keep looking over his shoulder.
I felt the last episode was both satisfying and well done. Chase played more of the classic Sopranos comedy in this last installment. As in the pilot and early episodes, the show’s sense of humor shined through in the finale. Tony Sirico as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, stole the show, with his authenticity and comedic talent. Again, like in the genesis of the story, the character of Paulie Walnuts, always brought the most entertaining comic relief, to the shows darkest and most dramatic moments. Amongst speculation and all the second guessing of how it will end or how it should end. I applaud David Chase for staying the course, and ending it like it began. As the Journey song played us out, “Don’t Stop Believing”, that maybe we will be allowed to glimpse back into Tony’s life some time soon, to see how things are going.

Paulie “Walnuts”

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The show starts out, showing that Tony can trust Paulie Walnuts and his new guys. Tony and Paulie are on the offensive trying to track down Phil Leotardo. They meet Agent Harris at the airport to exchange information. I liked that Agent Harris character plays a pivotal part in the shows outcome, he was always a favorite of mine. Tony puts the pressure on New York, and Phil Leotardo’s absence and arrogance leads his crew to turn against him. With the tip from Agent Harris, who had to sleep around to get the information, Tony’s man whacks Phil Leotardo in a gas station. In a brutal but comedic scene, Leotardo is shot in the head, in front of his daughter and 2 grandchildren. His skull is then crushed, when the wheels of his daughter’s car accidentally rolls over his head. Great reaction shots of the gas station customers watching this unfold, with one of them throwing up.
…”bye, bye, Pop Pop.” A fitting demise, to one of the most hated characters in The Sopranos history. Frank Vincent, has the knack to make the audience hate his character, played it to a tee.
So Tony wins, wins for now. He moves back into his house, and the family is back together. Then Tony has to deal with more AJ problems. AJ and his model girlfriend blow up his SUV, by parking on a pile of leaves, while making out. Somehow it was funny watching the car burn and then explode. Tony then explodes in a hilarious scene, yelling at AJ, telling him how hot a catalytic converter gets, “…you can fry a steak on it it gets so hot.”
And Carmella’s idiotic suggestion, that if there were kids playing the leaves, AJ would have run them over.
Tony Sirico, however steals every scene he’s in with his quirky comedic talent. Paulie’s superstitious hatred of the stray cat, is classic. Also Paulie sitting down with the next generation of The Sopranos, at Bobby’s funeral. Laughing with Meadow, flirting with Bobby Baccala’s niece as he opens his pants because he ate too much, and putting AJ in his place. Paulie Walnuts could sit right down and join the next generation with no problem. He’s a survivor and can get along in any group any time, everybody likes Paulie. Sirico’s timing and facial expressions are priceless.
AJ the craziest one of them all, turns a corner and ends up an aspiring movie producer, with a BMW and a hot model girlfriend. Meadow plans to get married, and to study law, which can conflict with her old man’s business ventures in the bid fixing industry. Tony’s lawyer tells him he will probably be indicted by the FBI, in a very funny scene, as they eat burgers in the back room of the Bada Bing. Will Tony end up like John Gotti? Is he destined to end up behind bars? Tony’s immediate future remains uncertain, with the FBI bearing down on him.
In a very well done and suspenseful final sequence, Tony sits in a diner waiting for his family, as they come in one at a time, so do a bunch of suspicious looking people. Each time someone enters a bell on the door rings. Tony eyeballs them all, as he plays Journey on the juke box. Carmella arrives, then AJ arrives, the suspense builds. Will one of these suspicious characters make a move on Tony? The scene is intercut with Meadow having a problem parking. Will something happen to her? People move around the restaurant, the bell rings, Tony looks up every time someone comes in. Finally Meadow approaches the door as she enters from outside, the bell rings, Tony looks up. The screen turns black… Life goes on.

Technorati Tags: Final Episode of The Sopranos, MADE IN AMERICA, David Chase, Dr. Melfi, Silvio, Tony, Sopranos, Tony Sirico as Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri, Paulie Walnuts, Journey song, “Don’t Stop Believing”, Phil Leotardo., Agent Harris, New York, Frank Vincent, AJ, catalytic converter, fry a steak, Carmella, Tony Sirico, Paulie, Meadow, Bobby Baccala, FBI, Bada Bing, John Gotti

One of my big criticisms of The Sopranos over the years, is that they would put on stand alone episodes in the middle of a season, that didn’t move the overall story line. I felt that, even in this current season, major parts of some early episodes did not move the story forward. Also, leaving issues lingering and unanswered has become a Sopranos trademark (ala, who raped Dr.Melfi and what happened to the Russian guy in the woods?). I guess the idea is, as in life, somethings just go unresolved. Read Review…

Episode 85, was not one of those episodes. Many issues were addressed, and many questions answered.
It starts with the always symbolic, picking up of the newspaper on the driveway. Tony always did this himself, until he got too paranoid and stopped, thinking some day he would get killed in his driveway. This time it’s someone else, I can’t remember ever seeing this guy before in other episodes, getting the paper in front of his house. We know he’s in trouble as soon as he picks it up and we see it’s not Tony. Silvio pays him a visit, and garrotes him old school style. You know when Silvio is involved it’s serious, he’s taking care of some Jersey Family business. It showed us that Silvio has remained loyal to Tony, and doing it himself, because he wasn’t sure who he can trust. Also it showed how old school Silvio is, using a garrote. This is one of the original methods of mob hits historically, and the most personal way to push a guys button. You can feel his last breath on your cheek as you choke it out of him with all your might. The piano wire usually cuts your hand, that’s why Tony knew what he was up to the moment he saw Sil’s hand bandaged. In the big picture, I think this scene served as a tribute to Silvio Dante, a true capo in every way, Jersey or New York, anywhere. A great scene really captured the brutality of the moment, well shot. Impeccably played by “Little” Steven Van Zandt, as usual.
As we continue Tony appears at Satriale’s, he orders a wedge with gabagoul, provolone and vinegar peppers, for the record a great Italian combo sandwich, I might of gone with roasted peppers and a little mustard, and the bread looked nice, but I like a nice seeded wedge. Tony runs into FBI/ Homeland Security Agent Harris (Matt Servitto), who gives Tony an important tip, that he is on the New York mob hit list. This is the payoff for Tony giving him a couple of names of suspected terrorists. Tony, Bobby Baccala and Silvio then plot to take out Phil Leotardo. In real life I have to say it seems like Tony and his crew acted too slowly, all the plotting and importing guys in from Italy, gave Phil time to disappear. It also gave the New York crew time to put their hits into action. Tony got the tip, and these guys are still walking around the streets. I do love the scene with Tony, Sil, and Baccala (FYI- baccala is an Italian salted cod fish, we usually serve at Christmas Eve dinner) are at the restaurant ready to go to war, and the Raging Bull theme music comes on, they break into slow motion shadow boxing, like Robert DeNiro in the opening of the movie. Classic Sopranos sense of humor, joking around with each other in a crucial tense moment.
More Soprano comedy, Carmella explaining to Artie Bucco and his wife, why it’s a good thing that Meadow doesn’t want to be a doctor, and she’s getting into law. Also, Tony throwing AJ’s new model girlfriend out of the house, and then finally giving AJ a beating after he tells him he’s having a problem “maintaining”. One more, classic Paulie Walnuts helping Tony get some things together in the kitchen and he looks out the window and gets horny over AJ’s girlfriend, “look at the sticks on that one…”
All great Sopranos dark comedy moments. Totally Risoli Film School says, dark comedy is the best comedy.
The dinner scene with Melfi and her colleagues is not a great scene. What happened to Doctor/ Patient confidentiality? I can’t believe a group of Doctors would behave this way. In the big picture, the story point is, Dr.Melfi’s psychiatrist, Elliot (played by film director Peter Bogdonovich), tells her to drop Tony as a patient, basically because she is helping a criminal be a criminal. This is the reason she cuts her relationship with Tony, for good, she closes the door on him. I can buy that. Maybe the last we see of her on the show, always played with class by Loraine Bracco.
So Baccala gets hit buying a stupid model train (The Blue Comet) for 8Gs, in a well done sequence. Silvio gets ambushed, outside of the Bada Bing, but lives, great reaction shots of the stripper extras. Tony is left with Paulie Walnuts and an assault rifle that Bobby gave him, in a house somewhere in Jersey. My hope is that the last episode is as good as this one. I rate this in the top 5 Sopranos episodes of all time, my opinion, James Gandolfini’s best performance as Tony Soprano of the entire series.
Will Tony get that greenhorn guinea bastard Phil Leotardo? Will Paulie stay loyal to Tony? Will the FBI make a final appearance? I can’t wait till Sunday!

Technorati Tags: The Sopranos, Dr.Melfi, Jersey Family business, Silvio Dante, “Little” Steven Van Zandt, FBI, Homeland Security, Agent Harris (Matt Servitto), New York mob, Bobby Baccala, Phil Leotardo, Italy, New York crew, Christmas Eve, Raging Bull, Robert DeNiro, Carmella, Artie Bucco, Meadow, AJ, Paulie Walnuts, Peter Bogdonovich, Loraine Bracco, Bada Bing, Paulie Walnuts, assault rifle, James Gandolfini, Tony Soprano