Sometimes it is hard to imagine how some strange stories have actually happened. Rob the Mob is a good example of that. Every normal person wouldn’t even think about sticking up members of the mob, but that is exactly the plan which Tommy Uva (Michael Pitt) thinks up in order to get money. He wants to execute it together with his girlfriend Rosie (Nina Arianda).
The movie is set at the beginning of the nineties, when John Gotti had to appear in court. Tommy gets the idea when he attends the case and hears the various addresses where members of the mobs come together (and where they don’t carry guns). For a while his robberies were in the news a lot in New York as no one could imagine someone doing something so daring. The couple did receive a lot of sympathy for what they did as people saw them as modern-day Robin Hood characters.
With its subject and strong New York vibe this movie strongly reminded me of something Martin Scorcese would make. The movie is entertaining, but doesn’t manage to hit the same level as him. Both Pitt and Arianda convince and their relationship is an interesting one. Andy Garcia also appears in the movie in a small role as the don, but is never as threatening or has as much authority as a character like Michael Corleone in The Godfather movies. Part of this, is it isn’t the focus of the film; It is mainly about Tommy and Rosie, their motivation as well as their urge to share their “brilliant” plan with others. One of them is a reporter (played by Ray Romano in a very controlled way), who makes sure the two become famous, which of course makes the mafia look bad. Rob the Mob might not be a masterpiece, but does manage to entertain during its 104 minute running time.
