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Timeline

Rob the Mob (2014) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2014 · 104 min · English
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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 (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (14)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Rob the Mob
  6. 6 Every angle
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14 events in order · contains spoilers

Rob the Mob Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Rob the Mob (2014) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. The Valentine's Day Heist

    Tommy Uva and Rosie DeToma, under the influence of drugs, impulsively decide to rob a florist, believing it to be a minor crime. Armed with a gun, Tommy threatens the cashier while Rosie anxiously waits outside, leading to a chaotic and reckless robbery attempt.

    When
    Valentine's Day
    Where
    Florist Shop
  2. Tommy's Imprisonment

    After the botched robbery, Tommy is apprehended and sentenced to 18 months in prison. This period becomes a turning point for Rosie, who must navigate her life and secure employment while waiting for Tommy's release.

    Where
    Prison
  3. Rosie's New Job

    While Tommy serves his sentence, Rosie finds work at a debt collection agency run by Dave Lovell, a former inmate. Lovell is eager to help Tommy upon his release, hoping for a chance at redemption after his own criminal past.

    Where
    Debt Collection Agency
  4. The Impact of Family History

    Tommy’s troubled family history comes to the forefront as he recalls his father's mafia-related debts and the brutal consequences that followed. His mother's perspective reveals her heartbreak and disapproval regarding Tommy's lifestyle choices, which she believes led to his father's demise.

  5. Gotti's Trial

    Tommy becomes captivated by the trial of notorious mobster John Gotti. The excitement builds when he learns from Sammy the Bull about the mafia's no-gun policy in their social clubs, influencing Tommy's mindset toward his future heists.

    Where
    Courtroom
  6. Planning the Club Heist

    Using insider information from the trial, Tommy formulates a daring plan to rob a club mentioned by Sammy. Despite lacking experience with firearms, he acquires an Uzi, and Rosie reluctantly helps him prepare for the robbery.

    Where
    Tommy's Home
  7. The Club Heist

    In a brazen display, Tommy robs the club, firing the Uzi to instill fear in the mafia members present. He adds to the spectacle by ridiculing them, leaving with a sense of invincible triumph as he declares, 'This is for Frankie Uva.'

    Where
    Club
  8. Escalating Chaos

    As Tommy and Rosie revel in their newfound success, they quickly run out of money and resort to robbing mobsters again, further embarrassing their victims. Unbeknownst to them, FBI agents are on their trail, documenting the chaos.

    Where
    Another Club
  9. The Waikiki Club Heist

    Eager to capitalize on their notoriety, Tommy and Rosie rob the Waikiki club, only to encounter elderly men, including Joey D, who desperately requests the return of his deceased wife's keepsake wallet. They unknowingly uncover a trove of valuable mafia information within it.

    Where
    Waikiki Club
  10. The Contract on Their Heads

    Realizing the importance of the stolen wallet, the mafia puts out a hit on Tommy and Rosie, now dubbed 'Bonnie and Clyde.' Tensions mount as the couple grapples with their growing notoriety and the danger it brings.

  11. Media Attention

    Rosie reaches out to journalist Jerry Cardozo, expressing her discontent with how their robberies are portrayed in the media. Lovell warns them about the escalating risks connected to their actions, urging caution as the mafia hunts for them.

  12. FBI Surveillance

    FBI agents successfully infiltrate Tommy and Rosie's apartment, obtaining critical information from the mafia's list. As the investigation develops, they discover the duo’s involvement, yet no protection is offered to them despite their cooperation.

    Where
    Tommy and Rosie's Apartment
  13. Final Trip to Manhattan

    In a bid to enjoy one last moment of freedom, Tommy and Rosie take a trip to Manhattan during the festive holiday season. They revel in the sights, perhaps unaware of the fate that awaits them just around the corner.

    When
    Holiday Season
    Where
    Manhattan
  14. The Tragic Ambush

    Their adventure comes to a sudden and tragic end when the couple is ambushed in their car by mafia members. The film concludes with the poignant image of their final moments and the realization that their actions led to significant mob convictions.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 13:12

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Timeline questions answered

Rob the Mob Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Rob the Mob (2014): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Tommy decide to rob the mafia club after hearing about the no-gun policy?

Tommy learns from Sammy the Bull's testimony at John Gotti's trial that mafia members are not allowed to carry guns inside their social clubs. Seeing this as a low-risk opportunity, he believes he can rob the club without facing armed resistance. He acquires an Uzi and decides to take advantage of what he sees as the mafia's vulnerability.

  • mafia club heist
  • no-gun policy
  • Sammy the Bull
  • John Gotti trial
  • Tommy Uva
Q2

What is the significance of Tommy's shout 'This is for Frankie Uva'?

Frankie Uva is Tommy's father. During the heist, Tommy defiantly shouts the phrase to declare that the robbery is an act of revenge against the mafia. Tommy's father had taken a loan from mobsters to start the family shop and was brutally beaten for being late on payments, ultimately dying from the humiliation. Tommy sees his criminal actions as retaliation for what the mafia did to his father.

Foreshadowing: Earlier in the film, Tommy's backstory reveals his father was beaten by mafia collectors, planting the seeds for Tommy's vengeful mindset.

  • Frankie Uva
  • Tommy's father
  • revenge
  • mafia debt
  • family trauma
Q3

Why does the wallet Tommy and Rosie steal matter so much to the mafia?

When they rob the Waikiki club, Tommy and Rosie take Joey D's wallet, which contains a complete list of the mafia's inner workings, including names, ranks, phone numbers, and addresses. This document essentially serves as a roadmap of the entire crime syndicate, making it invaluable to both the mafia and law enforcement. The loss of this list puts the entire organization at risk of exposure.

  • wallet
  • Joey D
  • mafia list
  • Waikiki club
  • crime syndicate
  • protection
Q4

Why doesn't the FBI protect Tommy and Rosie after they help with the investigation?

Despite Tommy and Rosie providing the crucial wallet containing the mafia's member list, the FBI does not offer them protection. Columnist Jerry Cardozo learns this and even offers them tickets to Mexico as a desperate attempt to help them escape. The FBI's decision not to protect informants in this case reflects a cold pragmatic choice, leaving the couple vulnerable to retaliation.

  • FBI protection
  • Jerry Cardozo
  • Mexico
  • informants
  • wallet evidence
Q5

Why does Big Al put a contract on Tommy and Rosie instead of just scaring them?

Big Al initially prefers to scare Tommy and Rosie rather than kill them, knowing that Gotti's trial has brought intense scrutiny on organized crime. However, after realizing the devastating importance of the stolen wallet containing the mafia's member list, Big Al is forced to put out a hit. The list threatens to expose and dismantle his entire criminal empire, making their elimination necessary from his perspective.

  • Big Al
  • contract
  • mafia hit
  • Fiorello
  • Gotti trial
  • scrutiny
Q6

How does the stolen list lead to mob convictions?

The FBI manages to infiltrate Tommy and Rosie's apartment and reproduce the critical list found in Joey D's wallet. This document provides law enforcement with names, ranks, phone numbers, and addresses of mafia members, giving them the evidence needed to build cases against Big Al and other mob figures. The list directly leads to several significant mob convictions, making the couple's reckless actions inadvertently productive for law enforcement.

  • FBI
  • mob convictions
  • Big Al arrest
  • evidence
  • list
  • prosecution
Q7

What motivates Tommy to specifically target the mafia?

Tommy's motivation stems from deep family trauma. His father took a loan from the mafia to open their shop and was brutally beaten when late on payments. The humiliation and abuse ultimately contributed to his father's death. Tommy harbors intense resentment toward the mafia, viewing them as 'fat old guys living off their reputation.' His heists are driven by a desire for revenge against the organization that destroyed his family.

Foreshadowing: The film establishes Tommy's family history early, showing how the mafia's treatment of his father shaped his criminal path.

  • Tommy Uva
  • revenge
  • family history
  • mafia
  • father
  • trauma
Q8

Why does Rosie continue to help Tommy despite the growing danger?

Rosie remains loyal to Tommy despite escalating risks because of their deep romantic bond and shared criminal partnership. Though she shows reluctance at times, like when helping prepare the Uzi, she participates in the robberies willingly. Their relationship is built on mutual involvement in crime, and Rosie even reaches out to the media to shape their public image, showing she's invested in their shared identity as 'Bonnie and Clyde.'

  • Rosie DeToma
  • loyalty
  • Tommy Uva
  • relationship
  • Bonnie and Clyde
  • partnership
Q9

Why are Tommy and Rosie compared to Bonnie and Clyde?

After their series of increasingly bold robberies against the mafia, the media dubs them 'Bonnie and Clyde' due to their status as a criminal couple who rob together and are ultimately pursued by dangerous forces. The nickname reflects their notoriety and foreshadows their tragic end, as the real Bonnie and Clyde were famously ambushed and killed, mirroring what happens to Tommy and Rosie.

  • Bonnie and Clyde
  • nickname
  • media
  • criminal couple
  • notoriety
Q10

How does Sammy the Bull's testimony help Tommy plan his heist?

Sammy the Bull, a mobster turned informant, testifies at John Gotti's trial about the mafia's strict no-gun policy in their social clubs. Tommy is in the courtroom and hears this testimony, realizing that the clubs are essentially 'soft targets' where members cannot defend themselves with weapons. This knowledge gives Tommy the false confidence to attempt his robbery, believing he won't face armed resistance.

  • Sammy the Bull
  • testimony
  • Gotti trial
  • no-gun policy
  • club robbery
  • inside information
Q11

Why does Tommy get arrested after the florist robbery but not for the club heists?

Tommy is arrested immediately after the Valentine's Day florist robbery because he's caught at the scene brandishing a gun and threatening the cashier. However, during the mafia club heists, no one fights back due to the no-gun policy, and the terrified mobsters don't report the crimes to police out of fear of exposing their illegal activities. This creates a paradox where the minor crime leads to arrest while the major crimes initially go unpunished.

  • florist robbery
  • arrest
  • Uzi
  • club heists
  • no-gun policy
  • paradox

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.

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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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