Armed only with a few clues and the powerful engine of his obsessive mind, Lionel unravels closely-guarded secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance. In a mystery that carries him from gin-soaked jazz clubs in Harlem to the hard-edged slums of Brooklyn and, finally, into the gilded halls of New York's power brokers, Lionel contends with thugs, corruption and the most dangerous man in the city to honor his friend and save the woman who might be his own salvation. View in iTunes. Critics Consensus: Motherless Brooklyn 's imposing length requires patience, but strong performances and a unique perspective make this a mystery worth investigating. Trailers See All. Information Studio Warner Bros. Genre Drama. Released

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Close Menu. Travelling or based outside United States? Video availability outside of United States varies. Sign in to see videos available to you. Set in s New York, a lonely afflicted private detective ventures to solve the murder of his mentor and unravels secrets that hold the fate of the whole city in the balance. More purchase options. By ordering or viewing, you agree to our Terms.
Motherless Brooklyn is a American neo-noir crime film written, produced and directed by Edward Norton , based on the novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem. Set in New York City in , the film follows a private investigator with Tourette syndrome , who is determined to solve the murder of his mentor. A passion project [ clarification needed ] of Norton's ever since he read Lethem's novel in , the film took nearly 20 years to go into production. The movie differs significantly from the book. Although the book is set in contemporary times, Norton felt the plot and dialogue lent themselves more to a noir setting — moving it to the s, with many added plot points inspired by The Power Broker. Other members of the cast joined by February , and principal photography began that same month. It received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for Norton's performance and the film's ideas, but criticism for its length and deviations from its source novel. Their boss, Frank Minna, rescued them as children from an abusive orphanage. Nicknamed "Motherless Brooklyn" by Frank, Lionel has Tourette syndrome , often alienating him from people, but his strong verbal and photographic memory make him a good detective. Working a secret case, Frank asks Lionel and Gilbert to shadow him to a meeting.