Astoria

It's a slice-of-life story of a 28-year-old, college graduate who finds himself stuck working for the past five years in his father's small take-out joint. Alex yearns to break out of the stagnant neighborhood he's been living in all his life to pursue a wacky, offbeat dream that will lead him to the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. He's held back, however, by his do-nothing "scheming and dreaming" neighborhood buddies and the reins of his Old World-minded father, Demo, who can't figure his son's "impractical" career choice and has him groomed to take over and expand the family business. Further complicating the issue are the local, small-time Greek wiseguys who threaten his father's life. Demo, a regular card player on the Greek mens' social club circuit has built up a huge debt and payback is due. Alex, out of loyalty to family, decides to step in and take matters into his own hands but the oncoming consequences won't be too pleasant. But, when Alex meets Elena, a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman - a Byzantine scholar arriving from Greece to do a restoration of an icon at the local church - the whole situation takes another twist. She represents everything he wants but winning her over won't be an easy task if he's got to convince her that he's not just some guy from "da neigbahood."