Bobby may have been born into a life of organised crime, but he was once just a teenager with a distant dream of playing pro baseball; the only weapons in his life water guns. Bobby struggles with his self-expression in a household governed under the iron fist of very misogynistic and traditional man. While Bobby is doing well at school, his home-life is dominated by his tyrannical and violent father. His mother tries her best to be there for Bobby as he figures out who he is. Bobby’s uncle also cares for him, even more than his own father. The relationship later proves to cause some angst to Bobby’s father who is threatened by their closeness.
While Dress Code has the feel of a typical gangster film, Peter Panagos (writer) and Joseph Pupello (director) deepen the backstory of the protagonist. We delve into Bobby’s struggle with his identity as his mother takes him to a doctor to discuss his penchant towards women’s clothes. The doctor tries to diagnose him with a transgender “disorder”, describing the “psychosis” Bobby is experiencing. Although his mother doesn’t fully understand what Bobby is experiencing, she knows that this doctor is grossly misconstrued, thankfully preventing her son from further exposure to harmful “therapies”.
The film cuts back and forwards between the past and the present, allowing viewers to piece together the timeline of events themselves. Ten years later, we see Bobby lose his mother. Although he is older than his teenage self, Bobby no longer has someone to stand between him and his father – a protective barrier that will be greatly missed. Bobby’s uncle puts him to work within the family’s criminal network, debt collecting. Without his mother as a buffer, Bobby is sucked into a life he should’ve been able to escape. The senseless violence of the job makes Bobby question his life and his family. Despite Bobby’s reservations, his uncle moves him up the chain of command. Tensions in the family and the gang run high as a result. Meanwhile the life Bobby actually wants seems further away than ever.
The only place Bobby can explore his identity is while he is in a secluded hotel room. Here, away from anyone who might judge him, Bobby can finally put on the clothes that are most appealing to him. The true sensitivity and joy in this scene is a stand-out moment in the feature. We see Bobby venture out wearing a dress and make-up, looking happy for the first time. The great softness achieved in these scenes is a huge contrast to the hardened scenes of gangster warfare seen previously. Bobby heads to a drag club, renown for acceptance and inclusivity, and we see him truly enjoying himself as he dances the night away. To weave these two contrasts together, the toxic masculinity of the mobsters and the femininity Bobby has been repressing, is truly indicative of a great storyteller in both Joseph Pupello and Peter Panagos.
The climactic confrontation between Bobby and his dad is another brilliant piece of filmmaking. True edge-of-the-seat stuff. Once again, Pupello contrasts the violence with a softer moment, choosing to end on this note. It is these moments that truly separate (and for me, elevate) Dress Code above your typical gangster film. Gerard Garilli as Bobby Russo is fantastic, capturing the nuances of his character with both incredible strength and sensitivity. Garilli carries the film, playing excellently against Frank Osso as his uncle and Freddie Maas as his father. Osso and Maas play two sides of the same coin – both are ruthless criminals. Maas is truly terrifying in his portrayal of Bobby’s father, especially with the flashbacks to Bobby’s youth. Here Nicholas Giordano comes into his own as the young Bobby. Giordano builds a fantastic foundation in these flashbacks, setting up the context for the entire rest of the film – an impressive feat for such a young actor.
Great storytelling delivered by strong cast and crew, Dress Code is refreshingly different while still managing to have that timeless, classic feeling that often comes with this genre. Nuanced, noir, and nothing short of a gripping watch.
Watch the trailer below!