The mob-related crime dramas often revolve around the men complicit in the crimes. It shows them grappling with their inevitable fate despite all the riches they earn. Recently, these themes have been explored through non-male perspectives. Now, Jennifer Esposito’s “Fresh Kills” tries to explore them through its female-centric drama. It focuses on women from an organized crime family who often resign to loyalty and submission in accordance with the patriarchal norms. Written and directed by Esposito, it mainly revolves around two daughters as they grow older and begin to see their world in a new light.
Spoilers Ahead
Fresh Kills (2024) Plot Summary & Movie Synopsis:
Jennifer Esposito’s “Fresh Kills” follows the women’s lives in an organized crime family in New York in the late 20th century. It examines the hold of patriarchy and crime on their lives and how it keeps them caged in an illusion of safety.
What is ‘Fresh Kills’ about?
“Fresh Kills” follows the Larusso family from New York in the late 1980s. The family patriarch, Joe Larusso (Domenick Lombardozzi) is a part of an organised crime family that dominated that era. After a while in New York, he moves to a bigger house in Staten Island with his wife, Francine (Jennifer Esposito), and their two daughters, Rose (Anastasia Veronica Lee) & Connie (Taylor Madeline Hand), when they were barely tweens. Growing up, the girls notice violence surrounding them. Deep down, they understand that their father is not an honest man. But they keep pretending to be a regular family.
Francine helps maintain that illusion. However, Joe tests her limits by often disregarding the impact of his actions on the family. As Rose (Emily Bader) & Connie (Odessa A’zion) grow older, they start molding themselves into different personalities. Like before, Rose is relatively shy and reserved. On the other hand, Connie is much more forthright and appears far more confident. We witness that as she beats up a friend over some relationship issues on the day of Christmas. While Connie and Frankie (Franco Maicas) are a couple, Bobby Jr (David Iacono) is romantically interested in Rose.
Rose & Connie
Connie acts like a son Joe never had. She has vigor and anger that can shy men her age. She accepts her father despite his crimes and refuses to listen to even a word against him. Unlike her, Rose doesn’t like that they never speak about or criticize Joe for it. After living a sheltered life until her teens, she begins to realize how his crimes affect their lives. Even though she is known as and expected to be a ‘good girl,’ she understands that her father isn’t an honest man. But Francine is now allowed to speak about it.
At their Christmas dinner, Rose casually mentions that she doesn’t want kids. Francine takes it personally, and the family looks at it as a cardinal sin. Later, she tries to have an honest conversation with Connie about their father – how his crimes affect their lives and make her lonelier. She worries if she will ever find ‘her people.’ Connie gets furious at Rose for merely asking that question. She believes Rose should be grateful for all their father did for them and consider only their family as ‘her people.’ It wakes Rose up to a painful realization that their family ties are almost like a prison for her. She cannot be anything that her family doesn’t want. She might persistently feel lost and lonely anywhere else.
The Family Matters
A night after their family-related discussions, Rose sees Connie getting beaten by their friends. Rose gets violent, trying to protect Connie. Back home, Francine gets furious at Connie for her actions. Connie fires back at her. While that happens, Christine (Annabella Sciorra) tries to pacify Rose. Joe starts being distant from his family. Still, Francine keeps ignoring his absence and preaches submissive ideals. Years later, Connie has a child, whereas Rose starts feeling like a thing for the men’s pleasure. They will stay happy until she stays silent, looks presentable, and doesn’t object to their way of life.
During a family friend’s marriage, Bobby Jr. asks for Rose’s hand for marriage, which shocks her. Since she doesn’t respond to him, Christine saves Bobby Jr. from the embarrassment and says yes on Rose’s behalf. Slowly, Rose starts feeling like her wishes or embarrassment are immaterial to her family. Christine expects her to get married as she was expected to. Soon after, Joe surprises Rose & Connie with a gift of a bakery that they will own and manage. As always, Connie shares Joe’s enthusiasm and thinks the world of him. But Rose realizes that Joe wants to keep them under his wings and not let them have a different kind of life.
Fresh Kills (2024) Movie Ending Explained:
After Joe gifts them a bakery’s ownership, Rose starts getting worried about her future. She hopes to escape her family’s trenches. So, she tells Bobby Jr. about her wish. Even though he loves her, his ideas of escape are also limited and tied to the family’s crimes. Back home, she tells her mother about her plan to begin a new life with a job she earns. Christine neither objects to it nor motivates her to do so. Her indifference crushes Rose. Later, at the bakery, Rose discovers the hidden cash in the basement and realizes that the store acts as a front for the mafia activities. So, she warns Connie about the danger. Connie still refuses to be disloyal to her family.
Does Rose ever escape her family?
Despite her loyalty to the family, Connie drives Rose to her work interview. There, Rose hears the news of her father’s arrest for multiple murders. Overtaken by emotions, she rushes out. She returns home and confronts Connie & Francine for their silence. But they refuse to see Joe in a negative light and stop Rose from leaving. Later, on Christmas, Rose takes Connie to the bakery’s basement, not knowing that Frankie is hiding there. The moment Connie enters the room, Frankie panics and shoots her dead. Then, out of guilt, he kills himself.
After Connie’s death, Rose starts taking care of Connie’s young daughter. A while later, Joe gets out of prison and returns home. He and Francine pretend that everything is normal, which bothers Rose. So, she takes out her bottled-up anger on him. But he refuses to take any blame and feels guilt as his actions are at the root of their family’s demise. So, Rose finally decides to pack her bags with Joe’s hidden cash and leave for good with Connie’s daughter. At least that way, she hopes to break the chain of quiet submission and let her lead a more peaceful life.
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