Synopsis/Details
Hoping to go straight, stressed-out New York mob boss Mario Cruciani steals away to Pleasant Hill, West Virginia, a small town he once visited as a child. There he buys a home, becomes a librarian, meets a nice girl, and looks to settle down. But his newfound peace is short-lived. He soon realizes he's invaded the turf of a wild, ruthless backwoods gang known as the Pleasant Hill Mafia.
Hell-bent on squashing the troublemakers, Mario decides to form his own gang. He rallies the community and enlists the support of Red Bear, a primitive Cherokee Indian; Reverend Jones, the town's bible-toting, scripture-quoting preacher; Todd, a cross-dressing florist; Elmer, a one-eyed, one-armed farmer; and Ms. Gaines, the elderly shopkeeper. Not exactly the gang Mario had in mind.
But this town isn't big enough for both Mario Cruciani AND the Pleasant Hill Mafia. And Mario is determined to make Pleasant Hill the pleasant place that he and everyone else desires.
* ScriptShark coverage summary: "This script is a clever and imaginative twist on the mob comedy genre, a fresh way of reinvigorating the stereotypes with new energy. While the genre itself has grown increasingly stale, the writer comes up with a comical premise that keeps the script alive even in its most formulaic moments. The structure here is solid, keeping the story moving along at a quick, entertaining pace. There is a good interweaving of the various conflicts here, from Mario trying to organize his own gang to the increasing threat of the Pleasant Hill Mafia to the rival mobsters out to track Mario down. The writer always grounds the story visually, using clear and cinematic writing style and descriptions. The script is a page-turner thanks to the clever usages of the concept of the Pleasant Hill Mafia, especially in scenes like 'the games' that Mario must play along with Hutch. There is also a strong Dirty Dozen-like element in the way in which Mario puts together his own gang of oddballs and misfits. This part of the script is reminiscent of films like GOONIES or the more recent DODGEBALL, movies where the outsiders become the champions, and Mario makes a great leader for this gang, as the stakes get higher and higher against him. By the end of the Second Act, there is the possibility of a serious threat to Mario's life, and this creates a good sense of suspense even while the mood remains light and humorous for the most part."
** Note: Could be feature film or easily adapted to TV series pilot. Contact writer for more details.
All Accolades & Coverage
* ScriptShark coverage/summary: "This script is a clever and imaginative twist on the mob comedy genre, a fresh way of reinvigorating the stereotypes with new energy. While the genre itself has grown increasingly stale, the writer comes up with a comical premise that keeps the script alive even in its most formulaic moments .... The structure here is solid, keeping the story moving along at a quick, entertaining pace. There is a good interweaving of the various conflicts here, from Mario trying to organize his own gang to the increasing threat of the Pleasant Hill Mafia to the rival mobsters out to track Mario down. The writer always grounds the story visually, using clear and cinematic writing style and descriptions. The script is a page-turner thanks to the clever usages of the concept of the Pleasant Hill Mafia, especially in scenes like the “Games” that Mario must play along with Hutch. There is also a strong “Dirty Dozen” – like element in the way in which Mario puts together his own gang of oddballs and misfits. This part of the script is reminiscent of films like GOONIES or the more recent DODGEBALL, movies where the outsiders become the champions, and Mario makes a great leader for this gang, as the stakes get higher and higher against him. By the end of the Second Act, there is the possibility of a serious threat to Mario’s life, and this creates a good sense of suspense even while the mood remains light and humorous for the most part."
