Rob The Mob | Raymond De Felitta | March 15, 2014
Rob The Mob is the shocking true story about a real life 90’s Queens couple Tommy (Michael Pitt) and Rosie Uva (Nina Arianda) who, as the title states, rob the mob. But before they got the courage to do that, they robbed more modest establishments such as flower shops. Only, the duo failed to properly plan ahead during one heist, landing Tommy 18 months in prison.
They try living a clean life by working at a humbling job at a collection agency, run by a man named Dave (Griffin Dunne) an ex-con himself. Only the gig doesn’t quite pay the bills. Desperate and hungry, Tommy returns home to visit the family flower shop, once run by his father (whose death was mob-related), and now run by his mom (Cathy Moriarty) and brother Robert (Jeremy Allen White). The purpose of this visit home is to borrow some money the honest way, but his mom is bitter and cold to Tommy and his life choices, sending him back empty handed. It’s after a visit to the ongoing famed John Gotti trial that Tommy is hit with a get rich quick scheme. Stick up the various mob social clubs. It’s the ideal robbery (so he thinks), as they won’t report the crime to the police.
Tommy is surprised how easy he succeeds in his stick ups, taking the various mob outfits for all they have. Packed with a loaded uzi and a big pair of balls, Tommy pushes the limits, going as far as to taking the members’ jewelry and clothes, sticking it to them to the fullest. The duo seem unstoppable until they accidentally rob a member (Burt Young) holding a list of the crime family tree, which is enough where current Don Big Al (Andy Garcia) is forced to step in, and take the duo as a serious threat.
The story piques the involvement of famed journalistic Jerry Cardozo (Ray Romano), who picks up on the story after a juicy tip from a FBI agent who happened to be wire tapping on the establishments that Tommy and Rosie raided. Cardozo soon meets with the duo, romanticizing their story to the public, making them a modern day Bonnie and Clyde of sorts. When he finds out what sort of information that they stumbled upon, he urges them to leave town, well aware of what comes next for the duo, who are surely in way over their heads.
It’s the first major script written by screenwriter Jonathan Fernandez, and it excels under the direction of Raymond De Felitta. The movie is graced with nostalgia of a 90s summer afternoon, and has a fun, flavorful flow. Michael Pitt is strong as always, a perfect suitor for Tommy, demonstrating chemistry with his female lead, Nina Arianda. Andy Garcia is solid as the quiet but menacing Don, the sort of role he is practically made for. Most surprisingly, my favorite performance came from Ray Romano, who puts forward a heartfelt performance that nearly stole the entire show.
Rob The Mob features some rather intense action scenes, and some lighter moments as well. It features a loose and sometimes too silly tone that gave it a somewhat uneven tone that didn’t do it any favors. On the whole, it’s a solid effort from De Felitta, a decent entry into the mob/crime caper genre.
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