MATTHEW DALDALIAN
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
matt.newsfirst@gmail.com
North Shore screenwriter Kosta Kondilopoulos, a longtime Laval resident now based in SaintEustache, is back with another gritty crime story—Mob Cops, a feature inspired by the real-life scandal of two NYPD officers who moonlighted for the mob.
His beginning
Kondilopoulos’s path to screenwriting wasn’t linear. Originally focused on graphic design, he kept writing on the side. Eventually, he would enter an international screenwriting competition where he advanced to the quarterfinals—a milestone that gave him the confidence to keep going.
Later, during the pandemic, acquaintance and director Danny A. Abeckaser reached out with a film idea. Kondilopoulos ran with it, wrote the screenplay, and the film was made. That collaboration marked the start of an ongoing creative partnership that continues to this day.
Mob Cops, directed by Abeckaser and starring Jeremy Luke and Bo Dietl, hit the small screen in April and marked the latest collaboration between Kondilopoulos and the L.A.-based director. “This one was interesting to write because everything that happened in there pretty much happened,” Kondilopoulos said.
The story…
The story behind Mob Cops is drawn from the notorious case of two former police detectives convicted in the 2000s of carrying out murders and leaking intelligence for two crime families. While names and certain details were changed, the screenwriter made sure the core timeline stayed intact.
“When you start researching these stories, every article you read, every video you watch— the beats kind of stick out,” he explained. “I always write a timeline, and anything that sticks out, clear waypoints in the story, I put them down.” To pack the complex real-life events into a watchable runtime, Kondilopoulos introduced a layered voiceover structure that shifts between characters—a choice that keeps the narrative moving and injects personality.
“It starts off with a cop telling his side of the story, and then it cuts to another character taking over the voiceover, and then again,” Kondilopoulos said. It kind of adds a little bit of a fun play to it.” Kondilopoulos’s fingerprints are most visible in the film’s dialogue—an element he uses to inject humanity into even the darkest characters.
“There’s like comedy, kind of within the seriousness,” he said. “In real life, there’s jokes. Even bad guys joke around, and it makes them more human.” That balance—between levity and darkness—helps Mob Cops deliver both character and pace. And for Kondilopoulos, pace is key. “Number one, I want people to be entertained,” he said.
“I want them to not feel like they wasted an hour and a half.” Beyond just entertaining viewers, he hopes the film sparks curiosity—ideally leaving people wondering, “Did that really happen?” and feeling compelled to look up the real events afterward.
Writing the script
Though Mob Cops is based on real events, its tone and rhythm are shaped by Kondilopoulos’s love for thrillers and classic mob films. He draws inspiration from directors like Scorsese and gravitates toward stories that blend tension, violence, and unexpected twists.
He said that influence shows in the way he writes morally complex characters and injects humanity into even the grittiest scenes. Working from Montreal, Kondilopoulos keeps a strict writing routine, waking up early each morning to put in several hours before the day begins. While he outlines each script carefully, he says the story often takes on a life of its own as he writes.
Much of Mob Cops’ success will hinge on its performances, and Kondilopoulos points to lead actor Jeremy Luke as a standout. “He really transformed and created a character in this one,” he said. “He put on a fat suit, grew the mustache—he really stuck to his character.”
Luke, who had previously worked with Kondilopoulos on Inside Man, was filming in Montreal when the writer suggested him for the lead. “He ran with it. He meditated, did his research, made a tape… and Danny had another guy lined up but once he saw the tape, he went with Jeremy.” Bo Dietl, a former NYPD detective playing a key supporting role, also impressed.
Kondilopoulos said the performance was layered, and to him, inspired from his former life, which added to its authenticity. For Kondilopoulos, Mob Cops continues a working rhythm with Abeckaser that began during the pandemic and has now spanned several films. “I try to bring my love of the movies that I like into it,” Kondilopoulos said. “Even within the limits — I try to find ways to make it mine.”
Future projects
Following the release of Mob Cops, Kondilopoulos has several projects in the pipeline. One of his upcoming films, The Perfect Gamble, starring David Arquette and Daniella Pick Tarantino is currently in production. He’s also working on a new short film and continues to develop original feature scripts at his own pace.
While much of his recent work has been based on real events, he’s interested in exploring new genres, including supernatural thrillers, and plans to take more creative risks with future personal projects. Mob Cops is available now on Amazon Prime.
