Rockaway

Rockaway

Year: 2017

Runtime: 90 mins

Language: English

Director: John J. Budion

AdventureDramaMoving relationship storiesEmotional and touching family dramasTouching and sentimental family stories

Inspired by true events, a man recounts the summer of ’94, when he and his brother plotted revenge against their abusive father.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Rockaway (2017)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Rockaway (2017). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Rockaway East

Rockaway East is depicted as a tight-knit, working-class neighborhood where a local basketball court serves as a gathering place for the kids. The area blends everyday life with the rough edge of violence and family struggle, shaping how the boys bond and cope. The setting anchors their friendships, dreams, and eventual tragedy.

🏖️ Seaside town 🏘️ Working-class neighborhood 🏀 Basketball culture

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

Main Characters – Rockaway (2017)

Meet the key characters of Rockaway (2017), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Anthony (Keidrich Sellati)

Anthony is the elder brother who endures domestic abuse with his mother and becomes a protective, decisive presence for his friends. He leads the gang’s activities and articulates a plan to change their fate, driven by loyalty to his family. His courage is real, but his choices precipitate a tragedy as he sacrifices himself and his father in a desperate bid for safety.

🛡️ Protective 🫂 Family Bond 💥 Consequences

John (Frankie J. Alvarez)

John is the younger brother who witnesses his mother's abuse and clings to his brother’s protective example. He bonds with the gang over shared dreams and a fixation on Knicks star John Starks, using drawing and imagination as escapism. After the tragedy, he vanishes for years and returns as an adult, carrying the weight of past trauma.

🧠 Trauma 🫂 Family Bonds 🧭 Loyalty

Sal Jr. (Drew Powell)

Sal is part of the core group the brothers befriend at the basketball court. He participates in games and provides steady, loyal companionship, helping to maintain the sense of community among the kids. His presence represents the everyday cheer and resilience that keep the friendship afloat amid hardship.

🤝 Friendship 🧭 Loyalty ⚡ Youth energy

Billy (Luke Guldan)

Billy is a member of the gang who becomes a foil and ally within the group. He confronts Anthony during moments of tension and carries the weight of the group’s dynamics into adulthood, where he faces fatherhood and the realities of life after their childhood schemes.

⚖️ Conflict 🧡 Loyalty 👨‍👧 Fatherhood

Dom (Kendall Lloyd)

Dom is a longtime friend who later becomes a teacher, symbolizing a bridge between the old neighborhood and a more stable present. His perspective as an educator offers a lens on guidance, growth, and the continuing impact of their shared past on young people.

🏫 Mentor 🧭 Guidance ⚡ Community

Brian (Nicholas J. Coleman)

Brian is part of the original crew who grows into fatherhood, reflecting the passage of time and the enduring bonds formed in youth. He embodies loyalty and resilience, showing how friends from childhood become the pillars of adult life.

👨‍👩‍👧 Fatherhood 🏘️ Community

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

Major Themes – Rockaway (2017)

Explore the central themes of Rockaway (2017), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Family Violence

Abuse at home shapes the brothers' world, instilling fear, loyalty, and a desperate need to protect family. Anthony and John navigate a volatile household, where love is tangled with intimidation. The violence acts as a catalyst for dangerous choices and long-lasting trauma. The film shows the high price that violence exacts on children and siblings.

🤝 Friendship & Belonging

The basketball court becomes a sanctuary where Anthony, John, and friends Sal, Billy, Dom, and Brian form a surrogate family. Their loyalty and camaraderie provide moments of joy and a sense of belonging amid hardship. Shared dreams—like Knicks games—bind them together and give them hope. The group’s bond sustains them through escalating risks and heartbreak.

🗡️ Revenge & Consequences

A plan for revenge erupts from the desperation born of abuse, pulling the brothers and their friends into a spiral of violence. The attempt to confront their pain leads to fatal outcomes, illustrating how vengeance can misfire and claim the wrong targets. The tragedy fractures the group and reshapes the survivors' lives. The story emphasizes the heavy cost of retaliatory acts on innocents and loved ones.

🕯️ Grief & Memory

Two decades later, John returns as an adult to revisit the streets of his youth and confront the past. The memory of Anthony’s death and the gang’s friendships linger, shaping identity and relationships. The film uses memory to show how places hold grief and history beyond a single moment. Reconnecting with old friends like Dom reveals how grief travels through generations.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 07:54

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Rockaway Summary

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Rockaway Summary

Rockaway Timeline

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Rockaway Timeline

Rockaway Spoiler-Free Summary

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Rockaway Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Rockaway

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