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Characters & Themes

Rob the Mob (2014) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 104 min · English
JustWatch #25,233 4
Directed by
Raymond De Felitta
Starring
Andy Garcia, Ray Romano, Burt Young, Michael Rispoli, Nina Arianda, Griffin Dunne

In 1991 New York City, Tommy and Rosie Uva, a couple of small-time thieves, stumble upon a secret that plunges them into a dangerous situation. Their discovery puts them at the center of a high-stakes conflict between the authorities seeking to dismantle a powerful crime syndicate and the mob boss, Big Al, who is desperate to protect his empire. Now, Tommy and Rosie must navigate this treacherous game, struggling to survive as pawns in a battle for power and control.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like Rob the Mob
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Rob the Mob (2014)

Where can you watch Rob the Mob? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Fawesome and The CW: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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4 main characters · contains spoilers

Rob the Mob Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Rob the Mob (2014), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Tommy Uva (Michael Pitt)

    Tommy is a volatile and impulsive small-time criminal whose reckless decisions lead him into deeper trouble. His desire for recognition and resentment toward the mafia stem from his troubled family history, ultimately culminating in his tragic fate.

    • 🦸‍♂️ Protagonist
    • 🤨 Reckless
  • Rosie DeToma (Nina Arianda)

    Rosie is Tommy's anxious but loyal partner in crime, struggling with the moral implications of their actions. She often acts as a grounding force for Tommy, but her own desires for excitement draw her into dangerous situations.

    • 💑 Love Interest
    • ⚖️ Morality
  • Dave Lovell (Griffin Dunne)

    Dave is a reformed ex-con who provides Tommy with a second chance upon his release from prison. He embodies the struggle between wanting to do good and the allure of returning to a life of crime.

    • 👨‍🏫 Mentor
    • 🔄 Redemption
  • Big Al Fiorello (Andy Garcia)

    Big Al is a high-ranking mobster who operates within the criminal underworld and represents the threat looming over Tommy and Rosie. His character underscores the dangers of engaging with the mafia.

    • 👿 Antagonist
    • 💼 Power

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:06

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Setting

Where and When Does Rob the Mob Take Place?

The setting of Rob the Mob (2014): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

1990s

The story unfolds in the 1990s, a period marked by a significant crackdown on organized crime in the U.S., highlighted by high-profile trials such as that of John Gotti. This era saw a transformation in the FBI's approach to tackling mafia activities, as detailed in the film through the characters' experiences.

Location

New York City, Mafia Clubs

The film is set primarily in the bustling urban environment of New York City, known for its diverse culture and vibrant nightlife. The mafia clubs depicted serve as a backdrop for the film's central heists, characterized by secrecy and the power struggles associated with organized crime.

  • 🏙️ City
  • 🔫 Crime

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:06

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3 major themes

Rob the Mob Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Rob the Mob (2014) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Crime and Consequences

    The film explores the theme of crime and its inevitable repercussions, showcasing how the characters' choices lead them down a treacherous path. It highlights the allure of quick wealth through illegal activities, juxtaposed against the harsh realities of their actions.

  • Family and Betrayal

    Family dynamics play a crucial role in the characters' motivations, particularly Tommy's troubled relationship with his family's legacy of crime. The film examines feelings of betrayal as the protagonists navigate their loyalty to each other and the criminal underworld they defy.

  • Media Influence

    The media's role in shaping public perception and its impact on the characters' lives is a recurring theme. Tommy and Rosie's escapades draw media attention, complicating their lives further and ultimately leading to their downfall.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 20:06

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Character & theme questions

Rob the Mob Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Rob the Mob (2014): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Rob the Mob set?

The film takes place in New York City, specifically in the bustling urban environment known for its diverse culture and vibrant nightlife. The mafia clubs depicted throughout the movie serve as the primary backdrop for the central heists, characterized by secrecy and the power struggles inherent to organized crime in the city.

  • new york city
  • mafia clubs
  • setting
  • organized crime location
Q2

What time period does Rob the Mob take place in?

The story unfolds in the early 1990s, a period marked by a significant crackdown on organized crime in the United States. This era was defined by high-profile mafia trials, most notably that of John Gotti, and represented a transformative moment in the FBI's approach to tackling mafia activities.

  • 1990s
  • time period
  • john gotti
  • fbi
  • mafia crackdown
Q3

What does Rob the Mob say about crime and its consequences?

The film explores the theme of crime and its inevitable repercussions, showcasing how the characters' choices lead them down a treacherous path. It highlights the allure of quick wealth through illegal activities, juxtaposed against the harsh realities of their actions and the ultimate price paid for living outside the law.

  • crime
  • consequences
  • theme
  • Choices
  • repercussions
Q4

How does family dynamics play into Rob the Mob?

Family dynamics play a crucial role in the characters' motivations, particularly Tommy's troubled relationship with his family's legacy of crime. The film examines feelings of betrayal as the protagonists navigate their loyalty to each other while defying the criminal underworld they were born into.

  • family
  • betrayal
  • tommy uva
  • theme
  • loyalty
Q5

What role does media play in Rob the Mob?

The media's role in shaping public perception and its impact on the characters' lives is a recurring theme throughout the film. Tommy and Rosie's audacious robberies draw significant media attention, which complicates their lives further and ultimately contributes to their downfall.

  • media
  • public perception
  • downfall
  • theme
  • news
Q6

Who is Tommy Uva in Rob the Mob?

Tommy Uva is a volatile and impulsive small-time criminal portrayed by Michael Pitt. His reckless decisions lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. His desire for recognition and deep resentment toward the mafia stem from his troubled family history, ultimately contributing to his tragic fate.

  • tommy uva
  • character
  • michael pitt
  • motivation
  • family legacy
Q7

Who is Rosie DeToma in Rob the Mob?

Rosie DeToma is Tommy's anxious but loyal partner in crime, portrayed by Nina Arianda. She struggles with the moral implications of their actions and often acts as a grounding force for Tommy. However, her own desires for excitement and a different life draw her into increasingly dangerous situations alongside him.

  • rosie detoma
  • character
  • nina arianda
  • partner
  • loyalty
Q8

Who is Big Al in Rob the Mob?

Big Al Fiorello is a high-ranking mobster who operates within the criminal underworld, portrayed by Andy Garcia. He represents the constant threat looming over Tommy and Rosie, and his character underscores the dangers of engaging with the mafia while trying to steal from their operations.

  • big al fiorello
  • andy garcia
  • mobster
  • threat
  • criminal underworld
Q9

Who is Dave Lovell in Rob the Mob?

Dave Lovell is a reformed ex-con who provides Tommy with a second chance upon his release from prison, portrayed by Griffin Dunne. He embodies the struggle between wanting to do good and the persistent allure of returning to a life of crime, representing the difficult path of redemption.

  • dave lovell
  • griffin dunne
  • ex-con
  • redemption
  • reform
Q10

What are mafia social clubs in the context of the film?

The mafia social clubs depicted in Rob the Mob serve as private, exclusive establishments where organized crime operations are conducted. These clubs function as fronts for illegal gambling, money laundering, and other criminal activities, representing the hidden infrastructure of the mob empire that Tommy and Rosie attempt to rob.

  • social clubs
  • organized crime
  • mafia
  • gambling
  • illegal activities
Q11

How does the FBI's crackdown on the mafia factor into Rob the Mob?

The film is set during a period when the FBI was actively working to dismantle powerful crime syndicates through high-profile investigations and trials. This historical context creates the environment in which Tommy and Rosie find themselves caught between the authorities seeking to dismantle the mob and the mob boss desperate to protect his empire.

  • fbi
  • investigation
  • crime syndicate
  • law enforcement
  • john gotti

Movie threads

More Movies Like Rob the Mob, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Rob the Mob tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Reckless ambition stories like Rob the Mob

Brash characters make impulsive choices that trigger an inevitable, violent collapse. If you enjoyed the tragic, high-stakes escalation in Rob the Mob, you'll find similar movies here. These stories follow volatile characters whose brash schemes put them in the crosshairs of dangerous adversaries, leading to fast-paced, tense narratives with heavy emotional weight and sad endings.

  • reckless
  • doomed
  • tense
  • tragic
  • desperate
  • anxious
  • Tone: tense, bleak
  • Pacing: fast, chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives follow a clear arc of escalation: a brash, often desperate protagonist discovers a risky opportunity for quick gain or fame. Their initial, seemingly successful actions create a false sense of security, which then shatters as the consequences from a powerful antagonist (like a mob or corporation) close in. The pacing accelerates towards an inevitable, grim conclusion, emphasizing the high cost of reckless ambition.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on a specific character flaw—recklessness—and its tragic consequences. They share a tense, anxious mood, fast pacing driven by bad decisions, and a deeply sad emotional payoff, creating a cohesive experience of watching a doomed life spiral out of control.

Movies about mob war pawns like Rob the Mob

Ordinary people become dangerous assets in a conflict between criminals and the law. Find movies similar to Rob the Mob where small-time players become pivotal figures in a larger war against the mafia. These tense crime dramas focus on the precarious lives of informants or accidental targets, caught in a gritty, high-stakes battle for control between criminals and the authorities.

  • dangerous
  • gritty
  • tense
  • anxious
  • chaotic
  • desperate
  • Tone: gritty, tense
  • Pacing: fast, driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a relatively ordinary person or low-level criminal stumbling into a position of leverage within a major criminal conflict. They are manipulated by both sides—the authorities seeking a breakthrough and the crime syndicate desperate to eliminate the threat. The story is a tense cat-and-mouse game where the protagonist's survival is constantly in jeopardy, highlighting their vulnerability and the brutal reality of the underworld.

Why they belong together: This thread unites movies through their central conflict scenario: a small protagonist thrust into a large-scale power struggle. They share a gritty, dangerous mood, high intensity from constant threat, and a focus on the psychological toll of being a disposable asset in a war much bigger than themselves.

If you liked this

Movies Like Rob the Mob

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Every angle

Rob the Mob (2014) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Rob the Mob in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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