Ash Wednesday is a 2002 American crime drama film written, directed, and starring Edward Burns, alongside Elijah Wood and Rosario Dawson. The film is set in the early 1980s in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and tells the story of a pair of Irish-American brothers who become embroiled in a conflict with the Irish mob.

Plot

Hell's Kitchen on Ash Wednesday, 1983: As rumors are flying that Francis Sullivan's (Edward Burns) younger brother Sean (Elijah Wood) who has been presumed dead for three years, appeared out of nowhere. It was afraid that the old killers might take a second stab at Francis's and Sean's life. An upstart approaches the local mob boss, who is Francis's protector for a hit job. Sean's wife, Grace (Rosario Dawson) believed she was a widow all these years until Sean came back for her. The parish priest who was deceived initially, is feeling anxious. As bad guys with guns are closing in, Francis should get Sean and his wife out of the city. Can Francis avoid a war between rival factions, and hold onto a new found morality? Will the cross of ashes on his forehead protect him?