#123 – Rob the Mob (2014)

Written by: Jonathan Fernandez

Directed by: Raymond De Felitta

Starring: Micheal Pitt, Nina Arianda, Ray Romano, Frank Whaley, Michael Rispoli, Burt Young & Andy Garcia

* The Story *

Rob the Mob is a true story following a Bonnie & Clyde style pair set in New York in the 1980’s. Tommy & Rosie start to Rob Mafia social clubs. Tommy goes in with an uzi machine gun and a Rosie drives the getaway car. The pair are wild and out embarrassing the Mafia during the infamous John Gotti trial of the 80’s.

* My thoughts *

From the opening shots of this movie I knew I was in for an entertaining film to say the least. The film wastes no time in getting us into the story of the Bonnie & Clyde duo.

Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda are incredible as the pair. The actors bring so much to the role here. Their chemistry is off the charts and we fall in love with them and start rooting for them after the first scene of the film. They have the most chaotic energy but they’re so in love it’s endearing despite their criminal activities.

Tommy ends up doing 18 months after the initial failed robbery in the film. He gets out and they work in a call centre who only hires ex cons so hey that’s a nice break they caught. The boss there is the most 80’s looking coked up and energised guys going. He’s really great in all his scenes too actually.

When the pair decide to Rob the Mob and it actually happens its so shocking, funny and dramatic. Tommy rocks into one of these Mafia social clubs with an uzi machine gun that he cannot use correctly. The Mob guys inside think its a joke and he’s fuckin around, right until he starts flailing and firing the gun all over the bar. I mean the guy let’s fly and how he kills nobody here is truly nothing short of incredible.

This film has an incredible cast of familiar Mob faces. From the Sopranos own Michael Rispoli and the great Andy Garcia in a turn as a mob boss Big Al. There’s a real sense of tension and drama built with these guys on the look out for Tommy & Rosie. Who by the way live only 3 blocks from one of their social clubs.

Ray Romano plays a journalist in this film who through an FBI contact (Frank Whaley) shows him images he took of a robbery where Tommy got the mobsters to strip down after he robbed them, to embarrass them even further. Romano is so good in his role and seems to genuinely be on the duo’s side.

Michael Pitt has just recently come into my radar through Boardwalk Empire and he’s a very interesting actor. He’s got a great screen presence especially with intense and darker characters. He’s also got hilarious timing. When he’s robbing the clubs I went from nervous to cringe to laughing to scared and back to laughter by the end. I gotta see more of his work.

Nina Arianda also is incredible here. I’ve not seen any of her other work but in this film she’s so loveable, energetic, chaotic and absolutely hilarious. She steals the spotlight in every scene with her personality shining above all else. Rosie is one of those characters that you’re just always rooting for.

This is the closest film I’ve seen to true Romance in tone and style. Also similar to that film is that we’re rooting for the duo. They’re robbing money from the Italian Mafia. They steal from criminals and bad people so who cares. Like the say in the film they aren’t calling the cops and I agree with them. All I want to see is them ride off into the sunset together and take down some mob guys along the way.

I just watched this film and I can’t wait to watch it again. It’s so entertaining watching someone take a stand against the Mafia and the criminals that ruin so many lives. The way Tommy takes control of the rooms and embarrasses these “Wiseguy’s” is so satisfying.

I recommend this film for any Mob fan, film fan and fan of so strange and unusual a story that it had to be based on real events!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 8/10