The film was shot to capture the atmosphere of New York City in the early 1980s, telling the story of an immigrant entrepreneur and his family trying to grow a heating oil business during a period marked by high crime, corruption, and pressure from competitors and authorities. The production uses cold-weather urban infrastructure, transportation arteries, and industrial exteriors to create a grounded, tense atmosphere focused on risk, ambition, and moral compromises.

Filming Locations:

Queensboro Bridge Exit

In the Movie

The scene where a tense car episode takes place, using the exit and adjacent overpasses to emphasize speed, pressure, and the dangers of street business, while the strict road geometry and winter city feel enhance the realistic, tense tone of the narrative.

In Reality

The scene was filmed in the area of the approach to the Queensboro Bridge (Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge) near Queens Plaza, a major transportation interchange with multi-lane exits, concrete barriers, and overpasses connecting Manhattan and Queens. It is a very busy commuter corridor with constant traffic flow, providing clear sightlines for filming road scenes and featuring the characteristic utilitarian look of New York infrastructure.