Dope Thief is an intense thriller that shows that AppleTV is a force to reckon with when it comes to their programming. Based on the book by Dennis Tafoya, the story is about two brothers that pose as DEA agents and rob drug dealers for their goods. While the two have a good thing going on, they unfortunately rob the wrong house, which leads to all hell breaking loose.
Ray (Bryan Tyree Henry) and Manny (Wagner Moura) play the two brothers in the show. Ray and Manny are good guys who have morals and limits, but these are pushed after they rob the wrong house. Ray has some demons that are slowly revealed throughout the show and make the viewer want to follow his journey to see where it leads. Manny has issues of his own, and you feel for his character as he tries to make amends for the life he has had.
I will say that Bryan Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura are just fantastic in every episode, and their performances should be recognized come award season. Henry is phenomenal in every episode, but in the final three, he takes it to another level. Moura is a chameleon in every role he takes, and in Dope Thief, he is tremendous.
Being that we have seen the entire season, we also get striking performances from Marin Ireland (Mina), Kate Mulgrew (Theresa Bowers), Nesta Cooper (Michelle Taylor), and Ving Rhames (Bart). One of the standouts in this show is Dustin Nguyen as Son Pham. He is ruthless and charming and someone you do not want to cross.
Again, we do not want to give away too much of the series, but having a new episode drop weekly give the audience enough time to digest what happened the previous week. Each episode runs between 45 minutes to an hour and crams a lot of action in them. Give Dope Thief a chance, and you will be caught in the mystery and wanting to see how it all turns out!
The show is executive produced by Academy Award nominee Peter Craig (“The Batman” and “Top Gun: Maverick”), executive produced by Academy Award-nominee Ridley Scott (“Gladiator,” “The Martian,” “Blade Runner”) who also directs the first episode, and starring Academy Award nominee Brian Tyree Henry (“Atlanta,” “Causeway,” “Bullet Train,”), who also serves as executive producer.
Final Thoughts: Dope Thief is an intense thriller with powerful performances from Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura. Each episode cleverly unspoils the mystery and builds up to an action-packed, anxiety-inducing final 3 episodes. Every cast member knocked it out of the park with their performances and leaves you wanting more. Dope Thief is a classic in the making!
Kid-Friendly: The Robin Hood-like theme has many grey areas that might confuse teens. The overall theme of family helps bring the story together. Dope Thief may be suitable for kids over 16.
Violence: From the first episode to the thrilling finale, there is a lot of violence in this. There is drug use, shoot-outs, and a lot of cursing.
Based on Dennis Tafoya’s bookof the same name, the series 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.