“ ‘City Island’ is a treat for movie lovers everywhere—even if you’ve never heard of the community where it takes place. One could broadly describe it as a comedy—at times, it even plays like farce—but its humor doesn’t come from gags or funny lines of dialogue. It derives, instead, from the real recognizable emotions of a boisterous Italian-American family. That gives the film a solid emotional underpinning and makes watching it a rewarding experience.”