The Wannabe (2015) Reviews

• Fringe of Scorsese

  Icedooitle2015-10-28

  In an effort to draw maximum audience presence to the showing of "The Wannabe" at a film festival I attended, the advertisers posted almost no other name than Martin Scorsese in association with the film. This has been common with films of the horror genre. Consequently Wes Craven "presented" a whole lot of movies in his tenure that he never directed. When I found this was only a Scorsese production, I'll admit to being a little crestfallen. What I ended up seeing was a film that was appropriately "not Scorsese." When it comes to lords of the underworld, building themselves to monolithic heights and suffering a spectacular crescendo of hubris, Scorsese can tell that story in a 3 hour marathon that never spins its wheels. The Wannabe is an anti-epic. This is a 90 minute jaunt that takes place in the fringes of an epic, the John Gotti trials. The limbo that the mob world was in during the Gotti trial of 1992 is the setting for a protagonist whose face wouldn't even be in focus in a Scorsese flick. He is so low on the criminal totem pole that he gets himself arrested almost intentionally, just for some semblance of street- cred. The story of Thomas (Vincent Piazza) picks up just after his release, where he seems dumbfounded by the lack of respect he receives after his brief incarceration. Fewer people know his name after his release than before. He does have the swagger of the real deal, the kind that would only fool a fool. Such a fool exists in Rose (Patricia Arquette). She is fragile in sobriety, even more so emotionally. They form a relationship in the grand tradition of "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Sid and Nancy" that is both kismet and ill- advised. At a time where she desperately needs to be taken care of, Rose relishes taking care of this young nobody. Throughout their dynamic, it is easy to forgive Thomas for his obliviousness. He is too insensible to blame, and somehow too pathetic to pity. There are fewer things more difficult to watch than someone trying too hard in futility. His efforts are so romanticized that John Gotti's thugs just behold him with an air of, "What the hell do you think this is, a Scorsese movie?" Thomas's pluck always seems tied up in the fate of Gotti, a man he reveres but has never met. Once Gotti is convicted, Thomas reacts like a super-fan watching a World Series lost in game 7. Any comradery he hoped he attained during the trial is gone. How Thomas reacts to his exclusion becomes a story worthy of mob-lore. Without a dog in the race, Rose follows Thomas headlong into delusional grandeur. That this journey is doomed is obvious from its inception. The reason it has the longevity that it does is the key to the whole film. He is such a no-name he could commit almost any crime without recognition. This is pathetic for the simple reason that his motive is notoriety. The supporting cast gives this film the feeling of a big production supporting a small one. Thugs from Scorsese movies play tired roles that are more realistic than they would be in their large scale counter parts. The cheap style this story is told in compliments the personalities of its lead characters. Scorsese presenting this film is like John Gotti giving a nod to all the wannabes.

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• Not so bad, it's the absolute core of a crime drama

  subxerogravity2015-12-08

  It does not get more blue collar than The Wannabe, a no trills mob movie about a Mob geeks obsession with the John Gotti trails of the early 90s. Vincent Piazza plays the mob geek, Thomas. his performance in the movie was pretty well done. His psychotic nature just kept escalating as the movie progressed which made him entertaining to focus on. Also like the performance of Patricia Arquette, who played Thomas' equally touched girlfriend, Rose. I felt a certain dignity to her performance that made you feel sorry for Rose instead of sad. Overall the movie was a very disturbing tale of Thomas and Rose, a weird version of Bonnie and Clyde, in a movie that feels like a low rate version of Taxi Driver. A decent indi film to look at.

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• Watch Rob The Mob instead, same story but better told and filmed

  deloudelouvain2016-01-30

  Even though the actors in The Wannabe are better known then in another movie Rob the Mob this one isn't better then Rob the Mob. Both movies are based on the same true story so you would think the facts are about the same, but it wasn't really. I found that strange. Why would the facts not be the same if it's based on a true story? Anyways, I scored Rob the Mob a seven star rating, and because I think that movie was way better then The Wannabe I score this one only a 6 star rating. It's not that it's not worth a watch but if you have the choice then I would watch Rob the Mob instead. The Wannabe is much slower and not that interesting. Well that's what I think about it.

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• Mob adoration in a semi true 90's tale

  t-dooley-69-3869162017-07-22

  Thomas idolizes the Mob and especially 'the Teflon Don' – John Gotti, seeing him as a modern day Robin Hood and the incidental crimes as sort of a necessary evil – sort of thing. Anyway we join them in 1992 when Gotti is on trial and the Teflon becomes 'Velcro' as all the charges start to stick. Now Thomas is going out with a girl of questionable intellect and indeed taste who is brilliantly played by Patricia Arquette. Desperate to become part of the Gangsta scene Thomas hatches a plan to free his idol but in so doing he sets off a chain of events that he will become useless to control. So is it any good? Well it is very watchable but sometimes feels very small in that it is a very personal tale about – essentially- two people and how they believe their own bull. Whilst this does not detract from the entertainment it also leave unmolested the underlying issues of worshipping the worst in society. That said it is still a well made and acted film that will appeal to any who like mob lore but it is not in the same league as the 'Goodfelllas' of this world.

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• A very good movie that really makes you relate to the lead character, something that is usually hard to do in a mafia movie

  cosmo_tiger2015-12-23

  "Don't write the history books yet." Thomas (Piazza) has become obsessed with the trial of John Gotti and thinks it is his mission to find a way to get him off. When his plan falls through He tries to find another way to become a wise-guy. The only way he can think to do this is to begin robbing mafia hangouts. Together him and his wife Rose (Arquette) complete a string of hold-ups that finally gets him noticed. I am a huge fan of any type of mafia movie. There was a fantastic movie called Rob The Mob that came out a few years ago that dealt with this same story. Like that one this one is also very good and I really liked it. There were some differences between the two but the biggest one was that Thomas was played as someone who talks a big game, but is different when he is in action in this movie. To me that little change really added to the realism of this and added to the overall feel of the movie. The acting is really good in this, but Piazza's portrayal is really what makes the movie and I highly recommend this. Overall, a very good movie that really makes you relate to Thomas, something that is usually hard to do in a mafia movie. I give this a high B+.

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