Dope Thief TV Review: Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura lead a unique crime thriller from producer Ridley Scott

Plot: Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book of the same name, “Dope Thief” follows long-time Philly friends and delinquents who pose as DEA agents to rob an unknown house in the countryside, only to have their small-time grift become a life-and-death enterprise, as they unwittingly reveal and unravel the biggest hidden narcotics corridor on the Eastern seaboard. 

Review: The definition of what constitutes a “crime drama” has evolved over the years as more nuanced takes on the subject matter have given us fantastic projects ranging from The Wire on the small screen to The Town on the big screen. Peter Craig, the co-writer of Ben Affleck’s The Town and The Batman, Gladiator II, Bad Boys For Life, and Top Gun: Maverick, knows a little about delivering portraits of criminals who are more than the crimes they perpetrate. Adapting Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel, Dope Thief takes a unique series of crimes and amplifies them by showcasing the brotherhood shared between the main characters and their deep-seated connection to their loved ones. With absolutely stunning performances from Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura and a powerful supporting turn from Marin Ireland, Dope Thief is unlike any other crime drama I can think of.

Dope Thief opens with best friends Ray (Brian Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura) on a stakeout of a dope house. At first, their commentary and interaction feel like two DEA agents preparing for a raid. Still, as they execute their operation, it becomes evident that these two are criminals working a ruse to steal from other criminals. All of this is based on Ray’s idea, and the pair manages to make a solid living by stealing this way and getting away with it without hurting anyone. Ray does so to support his surrogate mother, Theresa (Kate Mulgrew), while ignoring his career criminal father, Bart (Ving Rhames). Manny uses his money to provide for his girlfriend, Sherry (Liz Caribel). Ray and Manny operate under the guidance of local criminal Son Pham (Dustin Nguyen), but when a former acquaintance gives them a tip about a target outside of Philadelphia, Ray and Manny decide it could be worth the risk. But, when the robbery goes south, the duo are on the radar of a mysterious kingpin who threatens to hunt them and their families down. As they race to protect themselves, Ray and Manny realize the vastness of the trouble they have gotten themselves into.

While much of Dope Thief‘s eight episodes focus on Ray and Manny, the full ensemble of this series is magnificent. Kate Mulgrew and Ving Rhames are great as very different parents to Ray, one of whom he closely admires and the other he blames for leading his life to where it has ended up. While Ray loves Theresa as a mother, his closeness to his brother, Manny, means everything to him, and as Ray struggles to find a solution to their predicament, he does so to protect those around him. With a young, aspirational attorney named Michelle (Nesta Cooper) on his side, Ray must also contend with the real DEA agents involved with the botched crime, namely undercover operative Mina (Marin Ireland) and her boss Mark Nader (Amir Arison). As we see both the investigation of Ray and Manny intensifying, Mina’s journey to recover from injuries sustained during the heist provides Marin Ireland with one of the most challenging roles of her career and a high point in her acting abilities. From communicating non-verbally through her standout performance in the finale, Marin Ireland should be recognized come awards season for this performance.

While Kate Mulgrew, Ving Rhames, Nesta Cooper, and 21 Jump Street veteran Dustin Nguyen perform fantastically, the work shared between Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura is exemplary, especially considering both actors have been knocking out roles for years. Henry, who has been in everything from big-budget Marvel, Transformers, and Godzilla projects to his Oscar-nominated turn in Causeway, has never been better as he exudes charisma and emotional layers as Ray struggles with his identity as a man, son, and brother. Wagner Moura, fantastic in Civil War and Netflix’s Narcos, balances out Ray’s impetuous nature while also struggling with his own addiction. It is even more impressive because Moura came in at the last minute after Michael Mando left the project early in production. A key scene in the middle of the series involving Henry and Moura in a pick-up truck may be one of the year’s best performances and a beautiful portrait of love between best friends I have seen on screen.

Executive producer Ridley Scott lent his skills as director on the first episode, with creator Peter Craig helming the finale. Jonathan Van Tulleken, Tanya Hamilton, and Marcela Said helmed the other six chapters of Dope Thief, with Craig serving as the sole writer for the entire series. Adapting the story from a novel meant the structure was already in place. Craig and Scott set up the first episode with a gritty and realistic tone, making me wonder if this series could have been inspired by a real event rather than a work of fiction. The gritty look of the Philadelphia setting lends a sense of realism to the story that elevates it from being a show or a cinematic creation to something more resonant. All five directors present a cohesive visual feel to Dope Thief that is elevated by a great soundtrack, with some songs factoring directly into the plot. The episodic nature of Dope Thief helps build the story across eight chapters toward a devastating finale that will hit you right in the gut.

Dope Thief works as well as it does because the strength of Peter Craig’s writing turns what could have been a more rote crime drama into something more emotional. While many actors could have taken on the challenge of this project, the chemistry between Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura cements the connection between Ray and Manny, elevating their tale to something more than I was anticipating. With Kate Mulgrew and Marin Ireland delivering fantastic supporting performances along with Nesta Cooper and Ving Rhames, Dope Thief is a powerful portrait that feels like an adaptation of a true story, thanks to the layered investment made in each character. Henry and Moura are superb as Apple TV+ brings yet another outstanding limited series to their platform.

Dope Thief premieres on March 14th on Apple TV+.

Dope Thief

AMAZING

9

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