East of the River

A hardened petty-criminal who uses crime to support his friend Nick and pursue Laurie, Joe returns to New York after a prison stint and plots a risky heist with Scarfi and Turner. He alternates between charm and ruthlessness, tipping off the police to gain leverage. His arc culminates in a tense clash with law enforcement and a bittersweet farewell at the wedding.

A convicted forger who captures Joe's interest and Nick's heart, Laurie is drawn to Mama's wholesome life even as she clings to a criminal past. She becomes entangled with Joe and Nick, struggling between love and loyalty. Laurie's choices trigger a confrontation that tests the limits of trust.

Owner of a small New York cafe, she acts as the moral center of the story, shielding Joe's family and calling out his bad seeds. Her blunt, protective stance crystallizes the conflict between domestic virtue and criminal temptation. She delivers a pivotal denunciation that reshapes Joe's choices.

Joe's friend who is educated thanks to Joe's criminal funds; Nick's wedding becomes a focal point for the story's moral stakes. He embodies the possibility of a better future obscured by crime, and his relationship with Laurie creates a tension that mirrors the larger conflict between virtue and vice.

One of the rival criminals who orchestrates the heist; Turner is ruthless and opportunistic, ready to turn on Joe and others if it suits him. He represents the dangerous alliance of criminals who exploit each other for short-term gain and who will push the plot toward chaos.

A brash gangster whose panic during the failed job leads to a fatal mistake: the killing of a police officer. Scarfi is a volatile presence whose impulsiveness accelerates the film's downward spiral and ultimately seals his fate.