Mixed by Erry tells the story of Enrico Frattasio, an aspiring DJ who ends up creating one of the largest piracy empires in Italy. The film is streaming on Netflix.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers
Plot summary
Enrico ‘Erry’ Frattasio is the second of three children, his older brother Peppe is the smartest of the bunch while his younger brother Angelo is quite hot-headed. Enrico himself has a special music talent and spends all his time at a record store.
Their father makes a living by filling up liquor bottles with tea and resealing them to sell to gullible customers. The boys grow up with just enough money to stay fed but when they’re older, things begin to change.
Angelo gets sent to juvie for attempted murder after standing up to some bullies who were beating up Enrico. Enrico gets a job cleaning at the record store and makes mixed tapes in his free time.
His tapes are masterfully curated and they become quite popular in the district of Forcella in Naples. When the record store closes, the owner gives Erry all the records he has as a parting gift.
Erry takes the records to Peppe and tells him that he wants to make a business out of making mix tapes and selling them more frequently. They find an advertisement for a duplicator that makes copying tapes a lot easier but they need funding for it.
They end up taking a loan from the local mafia boss but pay it back with ease as Erry’s compilations are a huge hit in the area. Seeing the potential in these tapes, Erry and Peppe go back to the Don to borrow much more money for their expansion.
They hit a minor roadblock when the Morrocan mafia tries to extort them but Angelo is released from prison around the same time and he helps them resolve the issue with a well-placed explosive.
Slowly but surely, Mixed by Erry becomes a well-known label in the entire south of Italy as Erry and his brothers are rolling in money. With increased fame comes unwanted attention and they are invited by the Camorra boss who wants to do business with them.
They are spared the union thanks to the erstwhile turf wars but this brings them to the attention of Captain Ricciardi of the Financial Police. He learns about the brother’s operations and tries to shut them down so Peppe takes their enterprise one step further.
He sets up legal holdings and shell companies to give the operation an image of legitimacy and gets into a partnership with Arturo Maria Barambani, the CEO of a media manufacturing company that sells blank cassettes.
Mixed by Erry ending explained in detail:
What eventually brings down the company?
During their visit to Milan to meet Arturo, the Frattasio brothers witness the first signs of a shift in technology in the form of the compact disc. They immediately make efforts to learn everything about it and how they can incorporate it into their business.
Along with Arturo, Mixed by Erry becomes the highest-earning record label in Italy which draws the ire of legitimate record companies. They petition the government who allocate funds to the police in a bid to take down the pirates.
Ricciardi finally sees his opportunity to take down the Frattasio brothers and their illegal business.
How do the brothers end up in jail?
Arturo warns Erry about the police and Ricciardi coming for them but Erry isn’t too worried. He decides to taunt Ricciardi by baiting them to come to the Sanremo Festival in 1991 where his entire family will be attending.
The Sanremo festival has been one of the company’s biggest sources as they have pirated copies of the festival hours after it has begun. Although the police don’t find out who Erry’s mole is, they get another big fish to help them out.
Arturo decides to make a deal with the authorities in exchange for immunity and gives them all the information he can share about the Frattasio brothers’ operation.
With all the evidence on their side, Ricciardi arrests the three and momentarily shuts down the Mixed by Erry.
What happens to the brothers?
After going to jail, Angelo tells his brothers that he has made arrangements for at least 30 billion in cash to be hidden in the foundation of a construction site waiting for them when they get out.
However, Erry sees an article in the newspaper stating that a multinational treaty is soon to be signed that will replace the Lira with the Euro, making their hidden reserves obsolete by the time they get out.
Erry pleads guilty at his trial and the trio spends around four years in jail before being released. They are forced to forego all of their assets and start fresh once they get out.
Throughout their time, Mixed by Erry sold around 180 million tapes all over Italy. After he was released, Erry eventually made and distributed gift boxes for a living and occasionally performed as DJ.
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