Randy And The Mob Blu Ray Review (Lightyear Entertainment)

Randy and the Mob is a 2007 crime comedy written and directed by Ray McKinnon (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, Rectify, and Chrystal). It was produced by Walton Goggins (The Accountant, Chrystal, That Evening Sun, Deep State, The Unicorn, and John Bronco Rides Again) and David Koplan (Dumb and Dumber To, The Smashing Machine, Spirited, Uncut Gems, Papillon, Daddy’s Home, and Winter Passing). It grossed $45,410 during it’s limited theatrical run in the United States and Canada. Good ol’ boy Randy Pearson (played by: Ray McKinnon from The Continental, Deadwood, Mayans M.C., Ford v Ferrari, and Sons of Anarchy) can’t seem to help getting in over his head with all his struggling businesses and so he borrows from the Mob that includes Franco (played by: Paul Ben-Victor from True Romance, The Wire, The Irishman, Daredevil, Tombstone, and Body Parts). When he can’t pay, his only hope is a helping hand from his long-suffering wife Charlotte (played by: Lisa Blount from An Officer and a Gentleman, Cut and Run, Dead and Buried, Prince of Darkness, Chrystal, Blind Fury, and Needful Things), his estranged gay twin brother Cecil (played by: Ray McKinnon from O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Net, Apollo 13, Bugsy, and Needful Things), his partner Bill (played by: Tim DeKay from White Collar, Oppenheimer, The Crow: Salvation, Carnivàle, and Party of Five), and hitman Tino Armani (played by: Walton Goggins from The Shield, Justified, The Hateful Eight, Django Unchained, Predators, and Fallout) who specializes in making money appear and disappear when needed!!!! Randy and the Mob is a crime comedy from the Academy Award winning director Ray McKinnon. The character actor is very skilled behind the camera, it’s a shame that he doesn’t do it more. Just a heads up, this is more comedy than crime. It’s PG so it’s not violent or brutal at all. The script is silly, hilarious, and over the top. Randy and the Mob really reminds me of a more independent version of the Coen Brothers. Lead actor Ray McKinnon gives one of his best performances in a dual role as both Randy and Cecil Pearson. They might be twins but they are completely different from each other. They are not exactly close either so it adds to the tension here. The talented Walton Goggins steals the show as the ridiculous Tino Armani. This is probably his most underrated role in his entire career. He has so many crazy one liners and he’s damn near laugh out loud worthy for all of his screen time in this. Don’t let his awkward personality fool you, he’s a dangerous man and he will change his tone without hesitation. Just imagine if Forrest Gump was a psychopath, that’s what Tino is like. The late great Lisa Blount is the wife that wants a different life as Charlotte Pearson. She’s done with this unpredictable atmosphere and she needs things different. She shows multiple sides to this character and it really developments as it goes on. The supporting cast is loaded with familiar faces which includes Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights), Paul Ben-Victor, Tim DeKay, Bill Nunn (Spider-Man franchise), Brent Briscoe (A Simple Plan), Vic Polizos (Night of the Creeps), Leon Lamar (Doom Patrol), Jill Jane Clements (Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers), Carol Mitchell-Leon (Fried Green Tomatoes), Sam Frihart (Warm Springs), David Milford (Basket Case 3), Rebecca Koon (The Menu), and Edith Ivey (Madhouse). Randy and the Mob starts out as a slow burn but it really picks up once all of the wacky people involved are introduced. There’s no doubt that it has pure Southern vibes to it. It mixes up several genres but it’s mainly overpowered by it’s dark humor. Despite it being tame, it does have a decent amount of action for it’s wild over the top finale. Randy and the Mob was a nice surprise, I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out. It’s a blast and a fun ride that doesn’t really take itself seriously at all. It’s still extremely unknown considering that it’s full of known actors. It’s currently streaming on Fawesome, RECOMMENDED!!!! Let’s discuss this high definition presentation and special features from Lightyear Entertainment! This 1080p (1.78:1) transfer is from a brand new restoration from the original film elements. It’s a big upgrade compared to it’s 2009 DVD, all of the visuals are much sharper now. It honestly makes this independent feature look even bigger after all these years. It has an English: LPCM 2.0 track on the disc. This is more of a talky type of crime comedy than bullets blasting everywhere but it does have some of that towards the end. All of the dialogue is crisp, the laughs are elevated, and the music has a killer boost to it. It has the little over 25 minute “The Making of Randy and the Mob”. It has interviews with Ray McKinnon, Walton Goggins, David Koplan, Lisa Blount, Paul Ben-Victor, and others. Director Ray McKinnon says he wanted to do something lighter compared to his previous dark feature. His wife told him about some twins she knew, it motivated him to create these outrageous characters. He chats wanting to do something with class, the mob, and hustlers so put it all together for this. He brought in all kinds of people that worked on Chrystal for this crime comedy. They talk about their chemistry working together. They break down the roles. They go over being confident about Ray McKinnon being able to direct, act, and write this. They only had 23 days/nights to complete the low budget feature. They mention everyone that they got to be in Randy and the Mob especially the legendary Burt Reynolds. It has plenty of behind the scenes footage. It has the Oscar winning almost 39 minute short “The Accountant” directed by Ray McKinnon. Set in the rural South, brothers Tommy (played by: Walton Goggins from Ant-Man and the Wasp, The Righteous Gemstones, The Next Karate Kid, American Ultra, and House of 1000 Corpses) and David O’Dell (played by: Eddie King from Lilly, Chrystal, All the Queen’s Men, and American Animals) are in desperate financial straits. They are forced to call in an expert for help. A mysterious chain-smoking accountant (played by: Ray McKinnon from Fear the Walking Dead, News of the World, The Missing, That Evening Sun, and Mud) with a knack for numbers. A fondness for beer arrives it’s not just to save the family farm but to stop a national conspiracy and save a way of life. The Accountant has a similar vibe as Randy and the Mob but it’s even better. It kinda reverses Goggins and McKinnon for this dark comedy. The Coen Brothers influence is all over the place here. It has a small cast but everyone is perfect in their roles. The soundtrack adds so much to The Accountant, everything about this just lines up the way it should for this well executed short film. It has a “Trailer” for Randy and the Mob. It’s available everywhere right now, CHECK IT OUT!!!!