Tag: ben affleck

THE RIP – The Review

THE RIP. (L to R) Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Ben Affleck as Det Sergeant J.D. Byrne in The Rip. Cr. Warrick Page/Netflix © 2025.

By Marc Butterfield

“Are we the good guys?” – Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon)

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have been friends since they were in elementary school, and now they’re bringing that friendship to Netflix. The duo are reteaming for the new crime thriller The Rip, from writer-director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Smokin’ Aces, Copshop, Boss Level). Also coming along for the ride are Steven Yeun, Kyle Chandler, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Sasha Calle; the film is produced by Artists Equity, the studio-led studio that Damon and Affleck founded in 2022.

If you think you’re going to walk in and figure this one out while watching, I must say, you probably aren’t. The story has more twists and turns than a Monaco race track, and you catch on pretty quick that nothing is as it seems. The pacing is smooth, the dialogue is tight and economical, the action does NOT disappoint either. It may be a Netflix movie, but it really could have killed at the box office. I like Carnahan’s movies, and this is amongst his best. The chemistry with Affleck and Damon has not diminished with time, and the supporting cast all pull their weight with them. It’s definitely the edge-of-your seat action one wants from a crime drama, and the settings all feel like they could stand up to much bigger budget movies.

Beware: spoilers ahead, so if you don’t want to know too much, save the below for later.

THE RIP follows Damon – Lieutenant Dane Dumars – and Affleck – Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne – as Miami cop partners who find themselves in a sticky situation after their team finds $24 million stashed away in a safehouse. Required by law to count the money before leaving the scene, the cops and their team must survive the night — and each other. Plus the team is already on edge — and under FBI investigation — after the murder of their captain, Jackie Velez (Lina Esco). 

And they find the police informant in the house, Dumars and Byrne’s first instinct is soon proven correct: The money is from the cartel.

Desi (Sasha Calle), the home’s owner, is an unwitting pawn in the organization’s game. The cartel paid Desi to place buckets of cash in the attic of her new home, inherited from her recently deceased grandmother. With plenty of funeral and medical expenses to pay, it was an offer the young woman couldn’t refuse. Partner turns on partner, bullets start flying, and the cartel is on the prowl. When threatening phone calls start coming through and the house is hit with a barrage of bullets, the team naturally blames the cartel.  But a nighttime chase quickly resolves that question. Byrne finds common cause with the cartel lookout who was communicating through the porch light. He even helps him run off the real culprits and coordinates a phone conversation with his cartel chief (Sal Lopez), who convinces Byrne and Dumars that the cartel didn’t fire a shot.

THE RIP. (L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Writer/Director Joe Carnahan, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix on the set of The Rip.Cr. Claire Folger/Netflix © 2025.

“The Rip came out of a deeply personal experience that my friend went through, both as a father and as head of tactical narcotics for the Miami Dade police department,” Carnahan explains. “It’s inspired in part by his life and then, by my enduring love for those classic ‘70’s cop thrillers that really valued the character and interpersonal relationships and became touchstones of that era — films like Serpico and Prince of The City and more recently, Michael Mann’s Heat.”

The viewer will discover that there are details in the movie drawn directly from officer Chris Casiano’s true story that inspired the film. The final piece of tension emerges from a procedural detail: will the rip’s final total match the count performed by the Tactical Narcotics Team? It does, to the dime: $20,650,480.

Dumars says goodbye to Desi, and reveals the truth behind his tattoos. They’re not a somber reminder of his duty, necessarily. They’re a memorial to his son. “Are we the good guys?” was the last thing his son said to him; “We are and always will be” was the last thing he said to his son.

Shot masterfully by cinematographer Juanmi Azpiroz, the film is filled with gunfights, car chases, and rooftop shootouts. This is The Rip. You won’t want to miss it.

Watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81915745 

4 out of 4 stars

Check Out This Brand New Look AT THE RIP Starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Catalina Sandino Moreno And Kyle Chandler

THE RIP. (L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix in The Rip. Cr. Claire Folger/Netflix © 2025.

Dropping on Netflix January 16 is director Joe Carnahan’s THE RIP, starring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno & Kyle Chandler.

Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on.

Carnahan directed Narc and Copshop. Of his new film, he says, “I’ve always been a big fan of the cop film.” He also drew inspiration from the story of his “very dear friend,” a police officer in Miami, who taught Carnahan all about “rips” — a term used to describe when cops seize illegal weapons, drugs, or, as in The Rip, lots and lots of cash. Read more about the film over at TUDUM.

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/the-rip-trailer-ben-affleck-matt-damon?utm_source=mediacenter

Watch on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/81915745

THE RIP. (L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Writer/Director Joe Carnahan, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo ‘Matty’ Nix on the set of THE RIP. Cr. Claire Folger/Netflix © 2025.

THE FLASH – Review

As you can tell by the rising temps when you step outside, it’s really Summertime, and so it’s also superhero cinema season with a biggie speeding into the multiplexes this weekend. Oh, but hold your horses (or horsepower) we’re not diving back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (last month we took a possibly final space spin with those Galaxy Guardians). No, Warner Brothers is showcasing another possible franchise from their spandex stable at DC (Detective Comics, though the late, great Stan Lee referred to them as the “distinguished competition” when he wasn’t jabbing them as “Brand Echh”). We visited their “cinematic Universe’ a few months ago with SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (correction: few of you did as that sequel left a massive crater in the box office stats). Ah, but they’re hoping that this won’t be a repeat as one of DC’s most enduring heroes (not part of the Supes, Bats, or WW trinity) makes his solo big-screen debut. Really, he’s been a TV staple since 1967 (via Filmation cartoon shorts on CBS Saturday mornings), so the big screen is more than ready for the premiere “scarlet speedster” himself, THE FLASH.


it all begins in Central City where Barry Allen AKA The Flash (Ezra Miller) is having a “day”. He’s going to be late again at the forensics lab where he works because his go-to server is not at his fave coffee shop to create his high-calorie breakfast sandwich. Of course, that’s when he gets an emergency call from Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons). Batman (Ben Affleck) needs some backup in Gotham City as he’s in pursuit of some virus-stealing baddies while a big sinkhole is about to swallow a hospital. Naturally, the rest of the Justice League is AWOL, so he dashes away. Near the end of the rescue, Barry realizes that his super sprinting has broken the time barrier landing him in the Speedforce and its time arena (resembling a massive zoetrope with multiple images of past events). After talking on the phone to his dad Henry (Ron Livingston), who’s incarcerated at Iron Heights Prison before his scheduled execution for the murder of his wife, Barry’s mom Nora (Maribel Verdu), which he did not do, Barry returns to the past to revisit that fateful day of Nora’s demise when he was only nine or ten-years-old. Zipping to the present he confides in Batman who warns him of tinkering with history (that pesky “butterfly effect”). But Barry believes he can get in and out without causing a dangerous “ripple”. He goes back to that awful day, then ahead a few years and bumps into his 18-year-old self, right on the day of the accident that will give him his powers. They make it to the spot in time, but it goes awry, and “old Barry” loses his speed, while “younger Barry” gets the ‘gift”. And they’re going to need it as General Zod (Michael Shannon) and his Kryptonian army demand the other Krypton survivor. But there’s no Superman in this reality, but there is a Batman (Michael Keaton). Can the “Barry twins” enlist his help to locate that missing Man (or person) of Steel and stop the forces of Zod from claiming Earth as their new Krypton?

In the lead role, which turns into dual roles, Miller conveys the giddy joy of a youngster playing with an unexpectantly fun new “toy” (his fantastic speed). But his Barry is frustrated to be thought up as a “clean-up guy” for the JL and haunted by his family tragedies. Miller also taps into his comedic skills as he fumbles over a budding romance with an old college pal and becomes a bickering comedy team with his younger self. He’s good, but the film’s real MVP is the return of Keaton to the role that cemented him as a movie star. It’s hard to believe that it’s been over 30 years since he donned the cape and cowl. His Bruce Wayne goes from reclusive gazillionaire (shades of Howard Hughes) to the snarky mentor to the Barrys. Ah, but he reverts to that guttural growl as soon as he finally suits and becomes the grim, yet sometimes grinning, dark knight (with all those “wonderful toys”), complete with a snazzy reworking of that lush Danny Elfman 89 theme. Rounding out the quartet is the soulful Sasha Calle as Kara the true name of a familiar comics hero. Years of captivity have almost drained the spark from her dark brooding eyes, but with the help of her trio of rescuers, she proves to be a powerhouse protector. We’ve got to mention the other caped crusader as Affleck gives us a hint of what a terrific action romp his solo Batman flick would have been, alas. Livingston is a kind and supportive papa while Verdu shines as the nurturing doomed Allen matriarch. Irons makes a superb “man at the desk” as the tech overseer Alfred, while Shannon returns as the regal and menacing demigod General Zod.

Director Andy Muschetti confirms his talent for mixing action, comedy, and pathos in this epic superhero tale. Of course, much of the wit comes from the screenplay by Christina Hodson and Joby Harold (reportedly with some input from the team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein). which offsets the rapid-fire quips with fun pop culture nods and inspired slapstick (Barry’s gotta’ fuel up whenever he can). The new red suit looks swell, especially as it lights up right before Barry takes off (from a Greek statue-like pose). The action sequence in Gotham City is breathtaking, though the final act feels a bit too drawn out and somewhat chaotic (it seems like Zod’s army was tougher in MAN OF STEEL and not he pixel fodder in this). The effects used to depict the high-speed journey of The Flash are very imaginative (Star Wars lightspeed to the nth level), but some of the CGI used in the hospital rescue and the speed force zoetrope feels a tad off looking as though some dead-eyed denizens lumbered out of the Uncanny Valley. But the big “crashing of alternate worlds” finale is lots of geeky fun filled with insider winks and cozy nostalgia. In the DC cinema-verse, this flick is one of the high points, not quite up to the glories of WONDER WOMAN, but miles above her dreary sequel and last year’s BLACK ADAM. Though another Aquaman is being prepped, this action fantasy would be a good “capper” for the DCCU (or as some call it, the “Snyder-verse”). Those in need of a comic book hero fix should be pleased with the fun and very fast antics of THE FLASH.

3 out of 4

THE FLASH is now playing in theatres everywhere

Watch Ben Affleck In The Trailer For Sci-Fi Film HYPNOTIC From Director Robert Rodriguez

Check out the trailer for the upcoming film HYPNOTIC.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez, the film stars Ben Affleck, Alice Braga, JD Pardo, Hala Finley, Dayo Okeniyi, Jeff Fahey with Jackie Earle Haley and William Fichtner.

Ketchup Entertainment will open HYPNOTIC in theaters on May 12, 2023

Determined to find his missing daughter, Austin detective Danny Rourke (Ben Affleck) instead finds himself spiraling down a rabbit hole while investigating a series of reality-bending bank robberies where he will ultimately call into question his most basic assumptions about everything and everyone in his world. Aided by Diana Cruz (Alice Braga), a gifted psychic, Rourke simultaneously pursues and is pursued by a lethal specter (William Fichtner) – the one man he believes holds the key to finding the missing girl – only to discover more than he ever bargained for.

AIR – Review

Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in AIR Photo: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

Wow, the last few weeks at the multiplex could almost be summed up in a slight twist on the title of the signature tune of the movie’s most popular singing cowboy, “We’re Back in the 80s Again”. Who’d have thought that the “go-go” decade would be such fertile ground for current filmmakers? Now, there was music with SPINNING GOLD (though much of it covers the late 70s), and the toy/game trifecta of D&D, the Mario Bros., and TETRIS. Well, this new release concerns a big fashion item, though it has similar themes to that last film. Like that story, its main focus isn’t the “product”, but the hustling guy (like Henk) who will risk everything for a “piece of the pie” (as in that 80s TV sitcom). So, here’s an “inspired by true events” modern fable of an “average Joe” whose big dreams could, at any second, evaporate into thin AIR.

The “Joe” in question is actually nicknamed Sonny, Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon), who is the high school basketball scout for Nike in 1984. This was the era of the big athlete star endorsement “war” in the footwear industry. At that time Nike, headquartered in Washington state, was a force in running shoes, but lagged far behind Converse and Addidas in basketball shoes (barely in the double-digit market share). Back at “home base”, Sonny attends a frustrating strategy meeting led by frazzled marketing director Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman). With the top 4 NBA future stars scooped up, the remaining prospects are bleak. Late that evening at his modest pad, Sonny pops in several VHS tapes full of college highlights which convince him that the “star of tomorrow” is Michael Jordan. He’s in that elite four, but Rob insists that Addidas has him almost locked up. Sonny then goes to former Olympic basketball coach George Raveling (Marlon Wayans) for insight into MJ, then confers with co-worker exec Howard White (Chris Tucker) for further advice. Unfortunately Sonny’s boss, Nike head Phil Knight (Ben Affleck) doesn’t share his dream and refuses to increase his quarter-million dollar signing budget. Plus MJ’s cutthroat agent David Falk (Chris Messina) jeers at their meager offer and won’t grant Nike access to his client. But then Sonny does a “Hail Mary” and travels out to North Carolina, to the Jordan home for a brief face-to-face “sit-down” with the family matriarch, Michaels’s mama Deloris (Viola Davis). When word leaks out Sonny’s Nike pals and Falk are horrified at his hubris. But it works, and the Jordans agree to a meeting in only a few days. It’s “crunch time”, so Sonny, Rob, and design leader Peter Moore (Matthew Maher) make Nike HQ their weekend home to create a “sales pitch” and most importantly, come up with the shoe that will bear the superstar’s name, the Air Jordan. But will all their hours of sweat be for naught after the shoe giants meet with the family?

Add Sonny to the growing list of affable movie everymen played with charm and charisma by the dependable Damon. he gets us rooting for this underdog from the start, even as we watch his “lifeforce” leave his body during a soul-draining staff meeting. His Sonny formulates his goal and Damon, despite his extra “heft” will push through every obstacle, and we’re riding by his side. And how great is it having him back sharing scenes with his BFF and Oscar-winning screenwriting partner, Affleck? It may seem like he’s not putting much into playing Mr. Nike. but Ben conveys the mogul’s spacy, often detached, Zen mantra spewing “big boss”. Still, the passion explodes, showing that Affleck can be quite intimidating if you “poke the bear”, which Sonny frequently does. But he’s an ocean of calm compared to the manic “rageaholic” unleashed by Messina as the vitriolic furious Falk. He’s a take-no-prisoners ultra-caffeinated spin on Jeremy Piven’s Ari Gold on “Entourage”. Also solid is Bateman, who tweaks his usual snarky “attitude-dude” to make Rob a real partner to Sonny, though he doesn’t hesitate in putting his pal back on the right track. The film’s real MVP is Davis as the steely head of the Jordan household and financial future. She is surprisingly friendly to Sonny but is quick to silence him when she detects a hint of BS in his bravado. The scene late in the third act, in which she phones Sonny and tells him “how it will be” is almost a master class in acting (her FENCES Oscar could be getting a sister next year). Wayans scores in a wonderful scene with Damon, while Tucker shows us that his engaging motor-mouthed persona is missed (he’s been away for seven years).

In addition to his work as the Nike head “honcho”, Affleck makes a most welcome return to the director’s chair. Sure, we all know the outcome of all the wheeling and dealing, but he is still able to wring suspense from this modern-day shoe saga. Credit must also go to screenwriter Alex Convery’s witty, sharp script that really gives each great actor a moment or two to truly “shine”.Right from the superb 80s montage, Affleck takes us back nearly 40s years with authentic fashion, vehicles, and a splendid pop soundtrack. And what a smart move to keep the great Michael a peripheral character, much like Spielberg not showing us Bruce the shark until the JAWS hunt. But perhaps it was a “nod” to classic Hollywood films that would show the president (or the holy figures in religious films) only with shots from the back or closeups of his hands. It really adds to the drama and the mythic stature of MJ and the whole legend. As I said, we know the history, but Affleck and the cast make us really care about the people. And in the era of noisy franchise blockbusters, well it’s truly a breath of fresh AIR.

3.5 Out of 4

AIR is now playing in theatres everywhere and is streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video

Win Passes To The St. Louis Advance Screening Of AIR – In Theaters April 5

From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time.

AIR features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan.

AIR reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, marking the first time Affleck has directed his longtime friend and collaborator.

Amazon Studios will release AIR exclusively in theaters globally on Wednesday, April 5th 

The Advance Screening is on Tuesday, April 4th, 7pm at AMC Esquire 7.

The screening will be filled on a first come first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early. Seats will not be guaranteed. Rated R.

Enter at the link below.

http://amazonscreenings.com/main/sweepstakes/WAMGair

Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in AIR Photo: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC
Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in AIR Photo: ANA CARBALLOSA © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

Ben Affleck, Matt Damon And Viola Davis Star In Big Gam Spot For AIR – The Story Of Michael Jordan And Nike’s Air Jordan

Ben Affleck as Phil Knight in AIR Photo: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

From award-winning director Ben Affleck, AIR reveals the unbelievable game-changing partnership between a then-rookie Michael Jordan and Nike’s fledgling basketball division which revolutionized the world of sports and contemporary culture with the Air Jordan brand. This moving story follows the career-defining gamble of an unconventional team with everything on the line, the uncompromising vision of a mother who knows the worth of her son’s immense talent, and the basketball phenom who would become the greatest of all time. 

Check out the brand new AIR spot from the Big Game and see the movie courtside April 5.

AIR features an all-star cast, including Matt Damon as maverick Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro, Ben Affleck as Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan. Additional cast includes Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser, Chris Messina as David Falk, Marlon Wayans as George Raveling, Chris Tucker as Howard White, Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Gustaf Skarsgård as Horst Dassler, and Julius Tennon as James Jordan.

AIR reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, marking the first time Affleck has directed his longtime friend and collaborator. 

Viola Davis plays Deloris Jordan, Michael’s mother, who was a fierce advocate for her son, was instrumental in negotiating this unprecedented deal, and was committed to ensuring her son’s legacy. 

AIR will be distributed by Amazon Studios exclusively In Theaters April 5, 2023.

Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan in AIR Photo: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC
Chris Tucker as Howard White in AIR Photo: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC
Matthew Maher as Peter Moore, Matt Damon as Sonny Vaccaro and Jason Bateman as Rob Strasser in AIR Photo: ANA CARBALLOSA © AMAZON CONTENT SERVICES LLC

THE FLASH Trailer Features Batman, General Zod And Supergirl

Check out the stellar new trailer for THE FLASH.

Directed by Andy Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”), Ezra Miller reprises their role as Barry Allen in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film.

Worlds collide in “The Flash” when Barry uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian… albeit not the one he’s looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?

The Flash” ensemble also includes rising star Sasha Calle, Michael Shannon (“Bullet Train,” “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”), Ron Livingston (“Loudermilk,” “The Conjuring”), Maribel Verdú (“Elite,” “Y tu mamá también”), Kiersey Clemons (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” “Sweetheart”), Antje Traue (“King of Ravens,” “Man of Steel”) and Michael Keaton (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Batman”).

“The Flash” is produced by Barbara Muschietti (the “IT” films, “Mama”) and Michael Disco (“Rampage,” “San Andreas”). The screenplay is by Christina Hodson (“Birds of Prey,” “Bumblebee”), with a screen story by John Francis Daley & Jonathan Goldstein (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) and Joby Harold (“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” “Army of the Dead”), based on characters from DC. The executive producers are Toby Emmerich, Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Marianne Jenkins.

Joining director Muschietti behind the camera are director of photography Henry Braham (“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” “The Suicide Squad”), production designer Paul Denham Austerberry (“IT Chapter Two,” “The Shape of Water”), editors Jason Ballantine (the “IT” films, “The Great Gatsby”) and Paul Machliss (“The Gentlemen,” “Baby Driver”), and costume designer Alexandra Byrne (“Doctor Strange,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”); the score is by Benjamin Wallfisch (“The Invisible Man,” the “IT” films).

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, “The Flash.”

It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.

EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash, EZRA MILLER as Barry Allen / The Flash and SASHA CALLE as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl in Warner Bros. Pictures’ action adventure “THE FLASH,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Ben Affleck in the Oscar-Winning ARGO Screening at The Wildey Theater in Edwardsville Tuesday May 24th

“If I’m doing a fake movie, it’s gonna be a fake hit.”

Nothing’s more fun than The Wildey’s Tuesday Night Film SeriesBen Affleck in the Oscar-Winning ARGO (2012) will be on the big screen when it plays at The Wildey Theater in Edwardsville, IL (252 N Main St, Edwardsville, IL 62025) at 7:00pm Tuesday May 24th. Tickets are only $3  Tickets available starting at 3pm day of movie at Wildey Theatre ticket office.  Cash or check only. (cash, credit cards accepted for concessions)  Lobby opens at 6pm.

After Iranian militants stormed and took control of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in November 1979 taking 56 Americans as hostages, six Americans managed to get away and took refuge in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. After two months of the Canadians putting their lives on the line everyday, the CIA and the US State Department try to come up with a plan to get their people out. Tony Mendez is an “ex filtration” specialist who proposes that they pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations for a science fiction movie called Argo. Using Hollywood connections, Mendez creates a back story for the movie – ads in Variety, casting calls, inviting he media to a production launch – and then heads off to Iran to lead the six Americans out.

DEEP WATER (2022) – Review

Ana de Armas as Melinda Van Alden and Ben Affleck as Vic Van Alden in 20th Century Studios’ DEEP WATER, exclusively on Hulu. Photo by Claire Folger. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

So for the last couple of weeks, the box office has been dominated by the latest incarnation of a fabled comic book hero re-imagined, as many reviewers, including one from this site, noted as a dark (almost pitch-black) “noir” thriller. Ah, but there’s an element largely missing from it (no doubt to keep its PG-13 rating), which was a hallmark of many a classic “noir” (DOUBLE INDEMNITY, THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, and BODY HEAT spring to mind…RIP William Hurt) and that’s a dangerous and often deadly sexual attraction. Yes, “the Bat” and “the Cat’ share a smooch and longing gazes, but there’s no fogging of the Batmobile windows. Now if you’re in the mood for that, this weekend sees the release of such a tawdry tale, set in the real world, far from Gotham City. Oh, but one of its co-stars did wear the cowl and cape for a time. He may wish he still had that handy utility belt when seduction and murder threaten to pull him down in the depths of very DEEP WATER.


For all appearances, this modern opulent New Orleans home is occupied by a “picture perfect” family. Pretty-much retired tech inventor (deadly drones) Vic (Ben Affleck) peddles his bike in the mornings and tends to his greenhouse snails in the afternoon. His gorgeous younger wife Melinda (Ana de Armas) runs the house and tends to their adorable seven-year-old daughter Trixie (Grace Jenkins). Oh, but when the sun goes down, on most evenings Trixie is left with a sitter while her folks attend a big get-together (a pool party or a fancy dinner and drinks) with their equally well-to-do circle of friends. That’s where Melinda gets tipsy and openly flirts with her newest “boy toy”. Vic’s best bud Grant (Lil Rel Howery) is concerned (along with many others) that she’s making a cuckold of him. But Vic shrugs it off as her way of “acting out’ as she’ll go home with him. Oh, but there’s still lots of talk about how Melinda’s last “male friend” has gone missing. Still, things are strained back at their homestead, especially when Vic finds out that she’s paying thousands of dollars for piano lessons from a local entertainer, Charlie (Jacob Elordi). When an accident befalls him, a newcomer to the “party people”, author Don (Tracy Letts) becomes curious. Is this an idea for a possible new book or play or does he think that Vic is more than just a laid-back clueless spouse? Or could this be a twisted “game” to enliven a near-comatose marriage?

It’s interesting that this steamy bit of kink is actually anchored by the “ultra-cool” and quiet performance of Mr. Affleck. Last year saw him turn in some great supporting work in THE LAST DUEL (very funny, but as Stephen Colbert loves to say, “Nobody saw it!!”) and THE TENDER BAR (lovely, but criminally overlooked), but this is a reserved side of him little seen in his often high-profile leading man-type roles. His Vic is a passive aggression riddle leaving many characters confused, wondering if he’s a friendly joking “Joe” or if he’s oozing menace with a soft threat. It seems as though he only really cares about his daughter…and his snails. It makes us wonder if his passions ever “boiled to the surface” in his wooing of Melinda. As played by de Armas (so good in the last Bond flick, but so underused), she’s often a petulant child, seemingly less mature than lil’ Trixie. Plus Melinda is often indifferent with her offspring, raging at her favorite “kiddie” tune and telling Vic that “This is what you wanted”. But somehow de Armas makes her desperate cries for attention (piano dancing…really) more tragic than appalling (though certainly not appealing) as she flaunts her newest bit of “pretty plaything” or “hunk of the week”. Letts makes a good impression as the cynical writer who immediately smells something “fishy” and refuses to back down as Vic offers weak tepid explanations. Once again Howery is the “best bud”, though it’s not nearly as “meaty” as turns in GET OUT and FREE GUY (he proved a good lead in VACATION FRIENDS, so perhaps he can pass on the next “pal” part). And though he’s not given much to do, Finn Wittrock is a strong screen presence in the film’s final act.

Taking the director’s chair after a twenty-year “break is “Mr. Sexy-Cinema-time” Adrian Lyne. It’s no big surprise since the whole film seems like an early 1990s “psycho-sensual thriller-diller” mixed with a Southern Gothic vibe that would be in heavy rotation after midnight on “Skin-amax” (or perhaps a super “crossover” special of “Red Shoe Diaries” and “The Hitchhiker”). It all feels of a bygone more exploitive era as we’re treated to the antics of Melinda perhaps intended to shock and titillate. It’s all an attempt to distract from the too languid pacing and the turgid melodramatics. And it doesn’t help that the main characters are so morally repugnant. If Vic cares so deeply for Trixie then he needs to put more efforting into getting out of that squalid setting. But is he in an emotional S and M style bond with Melinda (their only passion occurs when she thinks he’s making eyes at Don’s much-younger spouse)? Even though he’s the closest to a “hero’ the plot has, Don’s dogged obsession is irritatingly clunky. Aside from Vic’s “drone-past” (which immediately fires up Don’s “radar), nobody appears to do anything other than “prep” for that night’s pricey party. It makes me wonder what the screenwriting duo may have reworked in their adaptation of the novel by Patricia Highsmith (STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY). I’d hope that it’s a more engaging and brisk “page-turner” than the overwrought and over-heated dismal DEEP WATER. Glug. Glug.

2 Out of 4

DEEP WATER streams exclusively on Hulu beginning on Friday, March 18, 2022