WOLFS

(director/writer: Jon Watts; cinematographer: Larkin Seiple; editor: Andrew Weisblum; music: Theodore Shapiro; cast: Brad Pitt (Pam’s man), George Clooney (Margaret’s man), Amy Ryan (Margaret), Austin Abrams (kid), Irina Dubova (waitress), Rob Riddell (Detective), Ziatko Buric (Dimitri, Albanian mob boss), Vladimir Sizov (Dimitri’s bodyguard), Richard Kind (Kid’s Dad), Pooma Jagannathan (June), Frances McDormand (voice of Pam); Runtime: 108; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Grant Heslov, Dede Gardner, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Jon Watts, Dianne McGunigle, Jeremy Kleiner; Columbia Pictures/Sony/Apple TV+; 2024)

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

A mediocre action/comedy presented in a formulaic way by director/writer Jon Watts (“Spider-Man: Homecoming”/”Clown”). It’s a forgettable star vehicle, whose slight premise and slight comedy never gets off the ground.

It takes place over a single night in NYC. Without their knowledge, rival unnamed fixers (George Clooney & Brad Pitt) are both recruited to clean up the same job.

The ambitious district attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) panics over the dead body of a dopey, young junkie (Austin Abrams) she had invited over for a tryst in her rented New York hotel penthouse. He fell off the bed and cracked his head open on a glass table.

Margaret calls Clooney to clean up the mess, but the hotel owner Pam (voiced by Frances McDormand), worries about a scandal in her hotel and calls in her fixer (Brad Pitt) to handle things. The aim is to cover up the bloody incident so neither the D.A. or hotel is involved.

Complications arise over a conflict the kid, who is revived, maybe had with ruthless Albanian mobster (Ziatko Buric).

Unable to be suspenseful or that clever or have much depth, the paper-thin film falters and collapses from being inane and poorly paced.

 It played at the Venice Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 10/9/2024  GRADE: C
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