Rob the Mob

Raymond De Felitta's fact-based crime story evokes NYC in the early 1990s, a time before Rudolph Giuliani's well-known housecleaning of the city. Tommy Uva (Michael Pitt), a young hothead robber just out of prison now holds an office job, thanks to the influence of his slightly more sensible wife, Rosemarie (Nina Arianda). But Tommy is fixated on the media-sensation John Gotti trial in progress—particularly the "social clubs" mentioned during testimony as mob hangouts where guns are not allowed. Naturally, Tommy embarks on a spree of armed robberies at these undefended clubs (with Rosemarie acting as getaway driver), correctly guessing that gangsters won't alert the police. The scheme works brilliantly, at first, so much so that viewer sympathies lie more with the embattled wiseguys than with the hoodlum couple. Still, Tommy's backstory includes the fact that his family was victimized by organized crime, making this a sort of Robin Hood payback deal. Boasting an impressive supporting cast that includes Griffin Dunne, Ray Romano, Andy Garcia, Burt Young, Frank Whaley, and Cathy Moriarty, this is recommended. (C. Cassady)