More about 'Straight Outta Tompkins,' in theaters March 6

As you may recall, crews for "Straight Outta Tompkins" filmed scenes for the feature in and around parts of the neighborhood back in March 2013.

The drama, written, produced and directed by Zephyr Benson, who also plays the lead character, opens on March 6 at the Cinema Village on East 12th Street.

Per the the film's Facebook page, "Straight Outta Tompkins" is "a shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade."

Indie Wire has a feature on the film and Benson this week:

There are definite signs in “Tompkins” that Benson has watched “Goodfellas” more than once, as his character, Gene, starts off selling pot-laced cupcakes to his classmates and ends up being recruited into selling hard drugs by a dangerous dealer.

“Goodfellas was my bible,” he said. “The amount of fake coke that I snorted was unbelievable. I was coughing out vitamin D powder.”

He also was influenced by an unlikely childhood favorite, “The Sopranos.” “I was 7 or 8 when it was on the air. It probably was not a good idea to watch the show then. It did something to me when I was younger.”

And here is the "Straight Outta Tompkins" trailer…



Benson, who attended attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Filmmaking, is the son of Robby Benson, the boyish-looking actor your older sister totally had a crush on in the 1970s, and singer-actress Karla DeVito.

Previously on EV Grieve:
'Straight Outta Tompkins' is real, and it is now filming around the neighborhood

'Straight Outta Tompkins' is real, and it is now filming around the neighborhood

"Straight Outta Tompkins" started filming on March 12. We heard about the film, but, to be honest, we thought the person who told us was joking. You know — a play on Straight Outta Compton. However, it is an actual production. Here's the description via the film's Facebook page:

A feature film written, directed and starring Zephyr Benson.

"Straight Outta Tompkins" is real, authentic and: Straight Outta Tompkins

Inspired by true events, "Straight Outta Tompkins" is a shocking, brutally honest view of today's Lower East Side, New York City drug trade.

We witness a powerful drug ring many don't dream exist: a consortium controlled by upper class, white, privileged young adults.

Seen through the eyes of Gene, a charming 18 year-old, a ‘pitch away’ from a college baseball scholarship.

Abandoned by his family, Gene finds a 'surrogate,’ seemingly more loving family within the underbelly of the L.E.S. drug community.

Gene is faced with one simple decision that could rob him of his youth, his innocence, his life.

There are also updates on the production's Twitter account. There's video of a shooting-up-heroin scene here.

Zephyr Benson, who attended attended NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in Filmmaking, is the son of Robby Benson, the boyish-looking actor your older sister totally had a crush on in the 1970s.