The Narrows (film)

The Narrows
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	François Velle
Produced by	Ami Armstrong Leslie Urdang Fran Giblin Michael Nozik
Written by	Tatiana Blackington Tim McLoughlin
Starring	Kevin Zegers Sophia Bush Eddie Cahill Monica Keena Roger Rees Michael Kelly Anthony Fazio Vincent D'Onofrio
Release date	2008 (2008)
Country	United States
Language	English

The Narrows is an American 2008 independent film starring Kevin Zegers, Sophia Bush, Vincent D'Onofrio, Eddie Cahill and Monica Keena.

The movie is based on Tim McLoughlin's novel Heart of the Old Country, which has Mike Manadoro (Kevin Zegers) as a 19-year-old Brooklyn boy who is torn between two worlds. When Mike's photography portfolio wins him a partial scholarship to New York University, he must figure out how to balance his tight-knit Italian neighborhood roots in Bay Ridge with the opportunity to blend into the expansive, sophisticated world on the other side of the East River. Since his job at a local car service doesn't earn him enough to make up for the rest of the tuition, and his father, a retired sanitation worker on disability, refuses out of pride to support Mike's attempts for financial aid, Mike ultimately takes a job making deliveries for Tony, the local mob boss, to make up the difference.

Mike not only has to balance work with his academic assignments, he has to manage his personal relationships as well. This includes his attraction to a beautiful, cool, intellectual young woman, Kathy Popovich (Sophia Bush) he meets at NYU, with his responsibility to his longtime girlfriend Gina (Monica Keena) from the neighborhood whom he's promised to marry. The stakes grow higher as he faces consequential choices from turning his back on all he knows and pursuing a new life.

The Narrows was filmed in New York City between April 24 and May 30, 2007. Filming took place in several locations of the city including Astoria in Queens and Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn. Sophia Bush was reported to have been flying back and forth from her home state of California to the filming destination in New York City.