Mob Cops, directed by Danny A. Abeckaser, has an interesting premise, but it never quite realizes its full potential. The film feels like a collection of clips from all-time mob movies. Mob Cops lacks originality and simply fails to shock, entertain, or engage as it aims.
Mob Cops is inspired by New York City police officers Stephen Caracappa (known as Sammy Canzano in the film) and Louis Eppolito (known as Leo Benetti in the film), who were arrested in 2005 and sentenced to life in prison. The film took some creative liberties, changing characters' names and dramatizing events to make the narrative more compelling.
Director: Danny A. Abeckaser
Writer: Kosta Kondilopoulos
Stars: David Arquette, Kevin Connolly, Nathaniel Buzolic
That said, the creators made sure to capture the essence of the events that shook American society and exposed the corruption of the system. Mob Cops is inspired by New York City police officers Stephen Caracappa (known as Sammy Canzano in the film) and Louis Eppolito (known as Leo Benetti in the film), who were arrested in 2005 and sentenced to life in prison.
The film took some creative liberties, changing the characters' names and dramatizing the events to make the narrative more compelling. That said, the creators made sure to capture the essence of the events that shook American society and highlighted the corruption of the system.
As depicted in Mob Cops, these two officers were like errand boys for the Mafia family, although over time they began to take on a greater sense of self-importance and considered themselves indispensable. They participated in all sorts of illegal activities. They primarily worked for the Lucchese and Gambino families, and eventually the term "mafia cops" was coined.
Eppolito wrote a book titled "Mafia Cop: The Story of an Honest Cop Whose Family Was the Mafia," in which he explained why he left the NYPD and tried to prove his innocence. Eppolito loved the spotlight and dreamed of making it in Hollywood, something seen toward the end of "Mob Cops." He met the great Joe Pesci and had cameos in films like "Goodfellas." Both Eppolito and Caracappa lived in Las Vegas before their arrests in 2005. Caracappa died in 2017 from his illness, while Eppolito died in 2019 at the U.S. Penitentiary in Tucson.
At the beginning of "Mob Cops," Detective Tim Delgado went to visit Bridget, who had one son, Phil, murdered by the mob, while the other, Josh, had been missing for a long time. Delgado carried the guilt of not being able to do anything to help Bridget. He knew she was a good woman and didn't deserve that life. Bridget had accepted Phil's death. She had given him a proper burial and felt at least his soul was at peace. What kept her awake at night was not knowing what had happened to Josh. That uncertainty consumed her. Her heart told her he was alive, but there was nothing she could do about it. Delgado promised her he would get to the root of the matter and find her son.
Delgado and his colleague Jesse Polino were investigating the Johnny "The Key" Galiano case. They knew that the key to Josh's disappearance and the answers to the many questions that had tormented law enforcement lay in his file. Furthermore, everyone knew that the two infamous New York City cops, Leo Benetti and Sammy Canzano, were involved in all kinds of illicit activities and worked closely with Galiano and his right-hand man, Ben Sherman.
Polino and Delgado went to speak with Galiano in prison, and in addition to information about what Benetti and Canzano had done back then, they also learned that Josh Hughes, Bridget's missing son, had been murdered by Galiano. When Josh started working for the mob, his mother knew her actions would have consequences.
Josh is one of the three people who made an attempt on Galiano's life back then. Galiano survived and vowed to kill everyone who orchestrated the murder. Galiano managed to capture Josh, with the help of Benetti and Canzano, and then tortured him for days before finally killing him.
Josh's last request was to return his mother's body so she could claim the insurance money, but Galiano didn't see the need for it. Josh had messed with the wrong crowd, and the worst part was that, in doing so, he made his mother's life miserable. The poor woman was left alone to grieve the loss of her two sons and think about what she could have done differently to save them.
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