Rob The Mob Review – A Pure Adrenaline Rush

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Category: Film

Published on Friday, 28 March 2014 16:09

Written by Janet Walker

"Rob The Mob," from Millennium Entertainment, brings to the screen a previously untold story of two improbable heroes of the Gotti era mob wars in this fast moving, explosive, comical, unpredictable, true crime drama that shook Manhattan.

Directed by Raymond De Felitta, "Rob The Mob" stars Andy Garcia, Ray Romano, Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda, and was written by Jonathan Fernandez.

 "Rob The Mob," begins with a speed thrill as DeeLite's "Groove is in the Heart" blasts through the opening sequences, with a pounding beat as Manhattan's mean streets whizz past in a blur.

Which is where we meet Tommy and Rosie Uva, brilliantly played by Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda, our two star-crossed, misguided, passionate and deeply addicted, love birds that on this Valentine's Day are making it one to remember as they set out to rob the local florist. Unfortunately they are both caught and sent to prison.

"Rob The Mob," at this point, flashes forward to release day as Rosie, serving a lesser sentence is clean, sober and working as a debt collector for Dave Lovell, played by Griffin Dunne, who  with all good intentions employs only ex-cons and pays them prison wages.

During this time Jerry Cardozo played by Ray Romano, a New York Post reporter, is covering the trial of century as the Dapper Don, reputed Mob boss John Gotti, is being prosecuted.

Cardozo, is becoming a local celebrity for his daily coverage that had tongues wagging, men hiding, wanna-be's hoping, and New Yorkers transfixed and as our two love birds have addictive personalities, are voraciously reading the daily reports from inside the courtroom.

Rosie, a natural at debt collection becomes increasingly disillusioned with hard work and no pay, while Tommy, now out and the two reunited is attempting to keep it straight. Soon he's skipping work to attend the Gotti trial as Sammy "The Bull" is spilling the secrets of a lifetime.

We meet Andy Garcia, as reputed Mob Boss, Big Al, who has lived a lifetime with the collateral damage of the life that chose him.  Tired, and nostalgic, on a day that Big Al sets aside, paying tribute to his son who was gunned down in an off screen retaliatory strike, he is met with a new challenge.   

Brought the news of trouble by trusted Capo Vinny, played by Val Vazquez, Big Al grants amnesty. This decision proves to be more costly than any other ever made.

Pitt and Arianda show depth and range as they burst off the screen in their portrayal of these true life lovers, addicted to each other, drugs, the thrill and the notion of invincibility.

Andy Garcia, removes a vital part of himself in this film, as he grows a full beard,  "to age the character," as he said during the press day held at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills and in reality the absence of his good looks truly focuses on the character and in actuality the development of the character.

Ray Romano brings truth and grit to his portrayal of a veteran NY Post reporter, a generally good guy, used, caught in a bad trap. The build-up of the ethical dilemma as he learns from his FBI informant that the government intends to serve the kids up after they, through one of their heists,  provide a single piece of evidence that was subsequently used to dismantle the modern organized crime families in New York, is authentic and delivered with genuine truth.

As every war has casualty and in the battle of the Department of Justice verses the New York Five Families that played out on the streets of New York in the late 1990's, these kids are it. To the Feds they are a sacrifice for the greater good and as always the laws of the jungle dictate the strongest survive. The weak are expendable pawns.

"Rob The Mob," a real New York story, also stars iconic talent Burt Young, Cathy Moriarty, Aida Turturro, Griffin Dunne, Michael Rispoli, Frank Whaley and Val Vasquez.

 "Rob The Mob," a wild ride through New York City Mob streets, social clubs and minds of the lost and lonely, is a trip worth taking. This is one entertaining film!

"Rob The Mob" is playing everywhere. Check your local listings.