by Josh Sewell
The Rip
(Rated R for violence and pervasive language. Now available on Netflix.)
It’s probably middle age and awards season fatigue talking, but these days a solid Dad Movie is the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend on the couch. That’s exactly what happened for me with writer-director Joe Carnahan’s action thriller, in which lifelong pals Matt Damon and Ben Affleck share the screen for the third time in five years (following the excellent, underrated Air and The Last Duel).
The plot is delightfully simple: a specialized department of Miami cops (played by Damon, Affleck, Teyana Taylor, Steven Yuen and Catalina Sandino Moreno) are grieving the recent murder of their captain when they receive a tip about drug money in a stash house. They’re expecting around $200,000 but after questioning the home’s suspicious tenant (Sasha Calle), they’re stunned to find $20 million hidden in the attic walls.
Now they’re facing a ticking clock, as the owners of the cash will arrive soon and there’s reason to believe someone in the squad is a rat. As tensions and distrust rise, the cops must figure out what to do with the money and who they can trust.
The Rip is a blast to watch thanks to Damon and Affleck’s easy camaraderie, as well as the solid supporting cast. Each of the squad members is compelling, but also mysterious enough that any of them could be the traitor. The core group gets the most screen time, but there are also a handful of engaging scenes with Kyle Chandler (rocking a glorious salt-and-pepper beard) and B-movie action star Scott Adkins.
Carnahan (a genre veteran thanks to terrific flicks like Narc, Smokin’ Aces, The Grey and Copshop) continually ratchets up the tension and sprinkles in engaging action sequences throughout. He’s also adept at providing each of the characters with compelling, frequently witty dialogue.
Unfortunately, the usual Netflix issues prevent The Rip from being a new Dad Movie classic. Damon has talked about a few of the streaming service’s requirements in interviews, and once you notice the pattern that pops up across all their flicks and series, you won’t be able to unsee it.
For example, there’s a big shootout sequence in the first few minutes even though it doesn’t make narrative sense to place it there. Instead, it happens early so people watching at home don’t get bored and change their channel. There’s no time to set up the characters and premise when viewers could switch over to Paramount+ and watch Landman instead. Who wants to pay that much attention, right?
That’s also the reason characters deliver exposition multiple times and repeatedly explain the central conflict. Netflix knows most of their viewers have the movie playing while also scrolling on their phones. The streamer doesn’t want viewers to feel lost even though they’re zoned out half the time.
Finally, although the mystery at the heart of the story is intriguing, it probably won’t take you long to figure out who the bad guys are. Without giving too much away, once you figure out which recognizable faces are in the movie and how often they show up, the puzzle pieces click into place fast.
But like I said, despite some issues with The Rip, it’s never boring and it’s a blast to watch Damon and Affleck utilize their decades-long friendship to help strengthen their characters’ history with each other. Two hours fly by and I honestly wouldn’t mind a sequel or two.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
Wicked: For Good
(Rated R for violence and pervasive language. Now available on Netflix.)
It’s probably middle age and awards season fatigue talking, but these days a solid Dad Movie is the perfect way to spend a lazy weekend on the couch. That’s exactly what happened for me with writer-director Joe Carnahan’s action thriller, in which lifelong pals Matt Damon and Ben Affleck share the screen for the third time in five years (following the excellent, underrated Air and The Last Duel).
The plot is delightfully simple: a specialized department of Miami cops (played by Damon, Affleck, Teyana Taylor, Steven Yuen and Catalina Sandino Moreno) are grieving the recent murder of their captain when they receive a tip about drug money in a stash house. They’re expecting around $200,000 but after questioning the home’s suspicious tenant (Sasha Calle), they’re stunned to find $20 million hidden in the attic walls.
Now they’re facing a ticking clock, as the owners of the cash will arrive soon and there’s reason to believe someone in the squad is a rat. As tensions and distrust rise, the cops must figure out what to do with the money and who they can trust.
The Rip is a blast to watch thanks to Damon and Affleck’s easy camaraderie, as well as the solid supporting cast. Each of the squad members is compelling, but also mysterious enough that any of them could be the traitor. The core group gets the most screen time, but there are also a handful of engaging scenes with Kyle Chandler (rocking a glorious salt-and-pepper beard) and B-movie action star Scott Adkins.
Carnahan (a genre veteran thanks to terrific flicks like Narc, Smokin’ Aces, The Grey and Copshop) continually ratchets up the tension and sprinkles in engaging action sequences throughout. He’s also adept at providing each of the characters with compelling, frequently witty dialogue.
Unfortunately, the usual Netflix issues prevent The Rip from being a new Dad Movie classic. Damon has talked about a few of the streaming service’s requirements in interviews, and once you notice the pattern that pops up across all their flicks and series, you won’t be able to unsee it.
For example, there’s a big shootout sequence in the first few minutes even though it doesn’t make narrative sense to place it there. Instead, it happens early so people watching at home don’t get bored and change their channel. There’s no time to set up the characters and premise when viewers could switch over to Paramount+ and watch Landman instead. Who wants to pay that much attention, right?
That’s also the reason characters deliver exposition multiple times and repeatedly explain the central conflict. Netflix knows most of their viewers have the movie playing while also scrolling on their phones. The streamer doesn’t want viewers to feel lost even though they’re zoned out half the time.
Finally, although the mystery at the heart of the story is intriguing, it probably won’t take you long to figure out who the bad guys are. Without giving too much away, once you figure out which recognizable faces are in the movie and how often they show up, the puzzle pieces click into place fast.
But like I said, despite some issues with The Rip, it’s never boring and it’s a blast to watch Damon and Affleck utilize their decades-long friendship to help strengthen their characters’ history with each other. Two hours fly by and I honestly wouldn’t mind a sequel or two.
Grade: B
Home Entertainment Spotlight
(Rated PG for action/violence, some suggestive material and thematic material. Now available on Blu-ray, DVD and VOD.)
In Wicked: For Good, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, continuing her fight to expose The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a glamorous symbol of Goodness, basking in the perks of fame and popularity. When a girl from Kansas crashes into their lives, Elphaba and Glinda must reunite and truly see each other if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz.
The film is based on the iconic Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire. Director Jon M. Chu returns, as do co-stars Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode. Bonus features include a sing-along version of the film; audio commentary with Chu; deleted scenes; making-of doc; and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.
In Wicked: For Good, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), now demonized as The Wicked Witch of the West, lives in exile, continuing her fight to expose The Wizard (Jeff Goldblum). Meanwhile, Glinda (Ariana Grande) has become a glamorous symbol of Goodness, basking in the perks of fame and popularity. When a girl from Kansas crashes into their lives, Elphaba and Glinda must reunite and truly see each other if they are to change themselves, and all of Oz.
The film is based on the iconic Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire. Director Jon M. Chu returns, as do co-stars Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang and Marissa Bode. Bonus features include a sing-along version of the film; audio commentary with Chu; deleted scenes; making-of doc; and four behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Reach out to Josh Sewell at joshsewell81@gmail.com or on BlueSky @joshsewell.bsky.social
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