Plot: Based on Dennis Tafoya’s book of the same name, “Dope Thief” 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.

Review: The definition of what constitutes a “crime drama” has evolved over the years as more nuanced takes on the subject matter have given us fantastic projects ranging from The Wire on the small screen to The Town on the big screen. Peter Craig, the co-writer of Ben Affleck’s The Town and The Batman, Gladiator II, Bad Boys For Life, and Top Gun: Maverick, knows a little about delivering portraits of criminals who are more than the crimes they perpetrate. Adapting Dennis Tafoya’s 2009 novel, Dope Thief takes a unique series of...