Movie Review: ‘Wolfs’

The ‘Ocean’s trilogy co-stars are clearly having fun as a pair of fixers assigned to the same tricky situation, with ‘Spider-Man’ director Jon Watts marshaling the chaos.

(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Opening in theaters in limited release from September 20th ahead of a September 27th arrival on Apple’s TV+ service, ‘Wolfs’ is the latest attempt by the tech giant to lure in audiences with big names and healthy budgets, though seemingly –– given that one-week run in theaters –– more concerned about buzz (and subscribers) than box office.

Still, the movie itself offers enough fun to make it a worthwhile effort, even if it seems a little too much in love with the star wattage of its two central famous faces.

Will ‘Wolfs’ Blow You Away?

(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Do you long to see George Clooney and Brad Pitt reunited on screen for the first time since –– no, not the ‘Ocean’s movies but actually the Coen brothers’ ‘Burn After Reading,’ which barely counts since they only occupy the same cinematic space for a very brief time?

If you’re yearning to have two of the most famous movie stars Hollywood has to offer trading barbs, occasionally letting themselves look vulnerable but generally being just as cool as you expect, then Apple has the answer for you. And the giant tech corporation has kindly agreed to put in theaters for exactly a week before the whole affair shuffles off to its Apple TV+ service.

That might sound sarcastic or cynical, but it’s hard not to see the ploy in the same light: agree to back ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy director Jon Watts’ new original crime caper, see him secure two giant stars then look for buzz over box office.

Still, the film that was made does have enough going for it to warrant seeing it on the big screen, even if you must be quick. Just don’t go expecting a completely original tale, as what unspools is largely a fun version of stories we’ve seen before with a tweak here and there.

Script and Direction

(L to R) Director Jon Watts, Brad Pitt and George Clooney on the set of 'Wolfs'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Watts has been sitting on the ‘Wolfs’ script for years, fully hoping that Clooney and Pitt might agree to star, since the roles very much feel written for them in ‘Ocean’s chatty mode. Of course, Spidey has gotten in the way for the last few years (albeit doing plenty for the filmmaker’s profile and bank balance), but the director has now broken free of Marvel’s grasp to get back to the sort of movie that launched his career, ‘Cop Car.’

The ‘Wolfs’ script is light on its feet, mostly driven by the banter between Clooney and Pitt, though it does at times twist itself in knots trying to figure out certain situations. And there is also sometimes too much of a reliance on certain repetitive dialogue tricks, such as the duo overlapping each other or one saying a curse word, then the other saying the same thing when they discover what he’s looking at.

It all adds up to the movie at times feeling exactly that, a movie –– while we don’t go to star-driven films such as this for gritty reality, it does jolt you out of the experience from time to time.

And Watts knows how to direct both actors and action, New York shot in appealing tones as the characters make their way on their unexpected mission. One moment in particular –– no spoilers, but it involves a car and one of the characters is played in slow-mo for maximum impact.

Performances

(L to R) George Clooney and Brad Pitt in 'Wolfs'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

Aside from Clooney and Pitt, almost everyone else is a cipher (and one particular actor should feel hard done by –– see below.)

George Clooney as “Margaret’s Man”

Neither of the stars’ characters are given names that we learn here; that pretty much comes with the job of mysterious, gruff fixer. Still, Clooney can knock this sort of role out of the park in his sleep and here he’s offered the chance to sideline the twinkly charm for a more circumspect character.

Brad Pitt as “Pam’s Man”

Both Pitt and Clooney are channeling their real-life friendship here, albeit, submerging under layers of characters who don’t want to work together. Pitt, like his co-star, is on good form, underplaying it and keeping his cool. There are a few funny grace notes to the pair aging, such as cracking backs or downing Advil, and it all adds to the layers of the two fixers.

Austin Abrams as “Kid”

Yes, names really are not a thing in this movie (with a couple of exceptions), but Abrams doesn’t need one to make an impact. He’s a fine pick to play off of the two leads, his nervy, slightly manic energy (since his character is in the midst of a drug trip/comedown during the story) works well against their measured stoicism and he really makes the part work.

Amy Ryan as Margaret

Ryan is the first person we meet in the film, and though she only makes a brief appearance as a panicked district attorney who initially summons Clooney’s character for help when she thinks she has a dead body in her room after a hookup gone awry, she does a lot with a little.

Supporting cast

A few other roles pop –– ‘Never Have I Ever’s Poorna Jagannathan is dry and funny as June, the doctor to whom the central pair take the kid, while Zlatko Burić dutifully portrays the gangster Dimitri with whom our heroes interact during the movie.

Still, there is one giant crime in the movie (and we don’t mean murder or drugs), and that’s the utter waste of the brilliant Richard Kind, who while he’s great as always, has maybe a couple of lines of dialogue and a minute or two of screen time.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Brad Pitt and George Clooney in 'Wolfs'. Photo: Sony Pictures.

‘Wolfs’ gets by on star power for good and ill, slowly turning the dial on the central characters, peeling away some layers and adding in some moral questions, which is surely why Clooney and Pitt took the gig beyond the chance to team back up again on screen.

It doesn’t totally succeed, but it’s better than your average crime caper.

‘Wolfs’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.

Wolfs

"They're not partners. They're not friends. They're wolfs."

R1 hr 48 minSep 26th, 2024

Showtimes & Tickets

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What’s the plot of ‘Wolfs’?

‘Wolfs’ sees George Clooney as a professional fixer hired to cover up a high-profile crime. But when a second fixer (Brad Pitt) shows up and the two “lone wolves” are forced to work together, they find their night spiraling out of control in ways that neither one of them expected.