Directed by
Susan Seidelman and written by Alice Arlen and
Nora Ephron, Cookie comes across as an inconsequential piece of fluff, bolstered by a quirky performance by
Emily Lloyd. Lloyd is Cookie Capisco, the daughter of mobster Dino Capisco (
Peter Falk), who has just finished thirteen years in prison. Dino wants to get out of jail, settle some old scores, and make up for lost time with his daughter. His illegitimate daughter, that is -- since Cookie's mother, Lenore (
Dianne Wiest), has been Dino's longtime mistress. Dino's actual wife Bunny (
Brenda Vaccaro) has, he thinks, been kept in the dark about Dino's mistress and his daughter. Dino decides that the best way to get to know Cookie is to hire her as his chauffeur. With her ears attuned to the conspiracies floating around Dino, she quickly discovers that her father's old crony, Carmine (Michael V. Gazzo), has been swindling him and that Dino's life is in jeopardy. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide