Luca Rickman,Dante.
“Chop Cheese” was directed by 25-year-old Sophia Meloni from a story idea from her 3-years younger brother Dante Meloni. There is a brief appearance near the end of the 15-minute short from Dad Christopher Meloni, familiar to fans of “Special Victims Unit” as Detective Stabler, who appeared opposite Mariska Hargitay in that role from 1999 until 2011.
Mariska Hargitay, godmother to Meloni’s son (Dante) and daughter (Sophia), is credited for her contribution at film’s end.
The short opens with three teen-aged boys entering a bodega to order chop cheese sandwiches from the old-timer manning the grill, Enzio (Mark Lake). Chop Cheese, spicey mayo seems to be the favorite for all three boys. They are en route to their own New York homes via the subway. One boy takes Train One. We learn that Luca’s character, Dante, has two moms and lives in the West Village.
The grizzled cook (Mark Lake as Enzio ) represents a sort of male model for Dante. He is familiar to the boy and always calls the young man “Boss.” Dante compliments the chef at the Village Gourmet Deli saying, “You’re the man.”
Enzio replies that he doesn’t own the grill; he just works there.
Mark Lake as Enzio the cook.
MORAL
When Mom Isabel Gillie notices that Dante’s purchases are mounting up, she insists that he get a job. Veteran character actor Lawrence Gilliard, Jr. (“The Wire”) makes an appearance here, as Dante’s co-worker, delivering Coca Cola and other food supplies, set in a large warehouse.
Upon returning to the Village Gourmet Deli, late in the short, Dante encounters two strangers behind the grill, played by Michael Gandolfini (son of James Gandolfini) and Christopher Meloni. Dante asks about the missing cook.
Enzio has left. This underscores the film’s main message, “People move on. Things change.”
At one point in the dialogue the Bodega chef had told the teenager, “It’s time to move on.”
Dante responded, “People move on.” Mark Lake, the grizzled short order cook said, “That they do, kid, or they don’t.”
CONCLUSION
I recently read a college application letter from a 17-year-old who commented that the normal routines of her life will change dramatically with her looming graduation from high school and subsequent entrance to college. It is true that young people sometimes fail to realize that there will be drastic changes to their lives as they grow up . In this short, we see Dante encountering that very fact of maturity, as represented by Enzio, the short order cook, who has simply left his long-time post and drifted out of Dante’s life.
The only constant in life is change; Dante is just realizing this as he matures into adulthood.
As the famous line from “The Outsiders” put it, “Nothing gold can stay.”