EMPIRE

Year: 2002
USA: Universal Studios
Cast: John Leguizamo, Denise Richards, Isabella Rossellini, Peter Sarsgaard, Delilah Cotto, Sam Coppola, Granville Adams, Rafael Baez, Ruben Blades, Sonia Braga, Rob B Campbell, Anthony 'Treach' Criss, Stracy Diaz, Fat Joe, Vincent Laresca, Carlos Leon, Omar Pastran, Nestor Serrano, Derrick Simmons, Felix Solis, Marta Vidal
Director: Franc Reyes
Country: USA
USA: 95 mins
USA Rated: R for strong violence, pervasive language, drug content and some sexuality
USA Release Date: 6 December 2002


Synopsis

Vic Rosa (John Leguizamo) is a hard, successful 'businessman' with a very lucrative drug dealing operation in the South Bronx that produces a heroin mix he calls Empire. He also has a beautiful fiancee, Carmen (Delilah Cotto), a student at Baruch College. There she becomes friendly with another student whose boyfriend, Jack (Peter Sarsgaard), is a Wall Street investment banker. When Vic and Jack meet they instantly hit it off. Both hard-core businessmen Jack comes up with a business proposal on the stock market that Vic sees as an opportunity to move out and leave the violence of the South Bronx. But there is a bigger price to be paid than clean money for his gorgeous new Soho lifestyle. For the first time, Vic is confronted with a price tag that he will find difficult to pay.