CLEAN UP CREW, THE

(director: John Keeyes; screenwriter: Matthew Rogers; cinematographer: Austin F. Scmidt; editor: Rylan Raferty; music: Gerry Owens, Aoife O’Leary; cast: Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Alex),  Swen Temmel (Chuck), Antonio Banderas (Gabriel Barrett), Ekaterina Baker (Meagan), Melissa Leo (Siobhan), Laurence Kinlan (Danny), Andy Kellegher (Jack), Matthew Tompkins (Rob, chief goon); Runtime: 95; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Conor Barry, Jordan Beckerman, Richard Bolger, Stephen Braun, Richard Clabaugh, Kurt Ebner, Jordan Yale Levine, Michael J. Rothstein; Saban; 2024)

“Dreadful.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

The action/comedy/crime film is directed by the mediocre filmmaker John Keeyes (“Cult Killer”/”Phobia”) and written by Matthew Rogers. It has a weak and unoriginal story, poor acting, one-dimensional characters and its comedy is dreadful. Its annoying split screens and its over-the-top acting make it an unpleasant watch. It follows the ragged style of a second-rate Guy Ritchie film.

In Ireland, working a crime scene are the bumbling Clean Up Crew made up of the boss Siobhan (Melissa Leo), the recovering druggie Chuck (Swen Temmel), Alex (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and his lover Meaghan (Ekaterina Baker). They find a suitcase full of cash belonging to the Spanish crime boss Gabriel Barrett (Antonio Banderas) and decide to keep it despite the danger that puts them in. The loot was bribe money to pay off the crooked cops by the vicious cartoonish crime kingpin, who has a fetish for using Machiavellian quotes. The bribe money was snatched by Barrett’s dissatisfied goons, Danny (Laurence Kinlan) and Jack (Andy Kellegher), who were shot for fucking with the boss.

The story revolves around the vengeful crime boss and the Clean Up Crew, who want to keep the found money.


REVIEWED ON 10/24/2024  GRADE: C-
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