Rating: R
Genre:
Drama
Release Date: 07/20/2004
Dubbed: English/Espanol
Sound: DD5.1/DD2
Run Time: 3003 Minutes
Flags: Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Drug Content
Distributor/Studio: Lions Gate
Widely touted as
NBC's answer to
The Sopranos, the six-episode series
Kingpin also drew heavily from the British mini-series
Traffik. The nominal protagonist in this seamy, violent tale of a Mexican drug-trading family was
Yancey Arias as
Miguel Cadena, the Stanford-educated heir apparent to the Cardena criminal dynasty. Together with his icy, coke-addicted wife,
Marlene (
Sheryl Lee),
Miguel coolly guided the destinies of his worldwide family business, eliminating enemies, friends, and loved ones alike to maintain his empire. Others in the cast included
Bobby Cannavale as
Miguel's vicious "enforcer" brother,
Chato;
Ruben Carbajal as
Miguel and
Marlene's disillusioned eight-year-old son,
Joey;
Angela Alvarado Rosa as relentless DEA agent
Delia Flores;
Brian Benben as the Cardenas' personal plastic surgeon,
Dr. Heywood Klein; and
Shay Roundtree as Texas-born torpedo
Junie Gatling, who acted as a sounding board for the other characters. Among the creative contributors to the series was
Allen Coulter, who direct several episodes of
The Sopranos. Originally slated for a March 2003 debut,
Kingpin was moved up to February 2, 2003 to take advantage of a traditional network "sweeps week."
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
;)
