Wolfs, an action-comedy slated for release in 2024, brings to life the iconic duo of George Clooney and Brad Pitt for the first time since Burn After Reading. Directed and written by Jon Watts, the film is a character-driven thriller full of wit and tension.
Wolfs captures the chaotic blend of crime, comedy and suspense over the span of one adrenaline-fueled night. It promises to be equally entertaining as it is thought-provoking.
Plot Summary
Wolfs opens with an emergency involving Manhattan District Attorney Margaret, who is now late for work. She finds “the Kid” unconscious in her hotel suite. To avoid the media circus that would follow calling the police, she contacts a seasoned fixer (Clooney) to extract the boy and clean the scene.
Pam, the hotel manager, simultaneously engages another fixer (Pitt) to resolve the hotel’s side of the incident. Unbeknownst to each other, both fixers have been stealthily ‘hired’ and arrive to find they have been double booked on the same job.
They resolve to work together, albeit reluctantly—but things go south quickly. To their surprise, the young man is both conscious and alive, but now masquerading as a rogue’s criminal operative. Through revitalizing him with the aid of a morally flexible underground medic, the fixers attempt to guide him to safety while battling gangsters, internal backstabbing, uncovering a bigger conspiracy involving both of their employers.
As the night unfolds, reverberations of their operations turn chaotic as preordained secrets unveil. Across this chaos, both men are left shattered—driven to grasp the outline of who they are, why they work the way they do, and fuel the soul-spark to radically pivot from distrust to a slight step toward acceptance of anyone, much less each other.
Characters and Performances
The role of the older, meticulous fixer goes to George Clooney. He remains calm under pressure, and is guided by a rigid personal code. His is the type of man who could clean up an international scandal without showing any traces of his work on his suit. With this role, he exhibits smoothness and gravitas we have come to appreciate from him.
The younger, more flashy fixer is played by Brad Pitt. Unlike Clooney’s character, he equally fits to the role, but casually and more relaxed. There is something wonderfully consonant about the way he dives in headfirst, relaxed and stylish, to propel his work and life with flexibility and flair.
Amy Ryan occupies the role of District Attorney Margaret, whose careerist instincts catalyze the entire story. Even when she is not physically present, her character’s influence can be felt throughout the film’s progression.
Austin Abrams portrays the Kid, who brings everyone together with what seems to be an overdose. As the plot progresses, he certainly appears to be more knowledgeable than he claims.
June is the no-nonsense medic played by Poorna Jagannathan, whose character delivers comic relief and moral perspective.
Zlatko Burić, Richard Kind, and others fill out the supporting cast, which is rich and adds texture and depth to the film.
Themes
Lone Wolves in a Team Game
The title Wolfs refers to the two main characters—experienced fixers who pride themselves on working alone. Watching them learn to tolerate, rely on, and even trust each other is the emotional throughline of the film. While both are elite professionals, their friction—and eventual camaraderie—makes for compelling, often hilarious viewing.
Truth, Loyalty, and Deception
In Wolfs, all characters operate in moral greyness. Fixers are perennial liars, but both Pitt and Clooney’s characters abide by some peculiar code of personal honor. The narrative grapples with loyalty and whether truth can exist in a world built on secrets.
What Does It Mean to Fix?
Even though the characters are fixers, they often make the situations they touch worse. This film seems to critique the belief that problems can be “cleaned up” with an influx of cash, staff or resources, especially when real people—and the emotions that complicate their lives—are involved.
Tone and Direction
As a director, Jon Watts has a reputation for fast-moving, lively narratives. He has been praised for directing the recent Spider-Man trilogy, which showcased his ability to balance tone, action, and character development. His film sits between Midnight Run and Michael Clayton while having a playful but dark, grounded yet stylish tone.
The New York City setting adds to the atmosphere. The movie’s primarily nocturnal setting is enhanced by neon lights and modern architecture, portraying the sleek yet perilous world inhabited by the characters.
Fists and firearms made for succinct, brutal violence that, like all confrontations, felt chaotic and unpredictable. Each action sequence within the film is both practical and character-driven instead of motivated by spectacle.
Cinematography and Sound
Seventy’s noir thrillers are fused with modern polish through Larkin Seiple’s cinematography as it captures the neon-drenched palette of the city while putting the characters in focus. The interiors bursting with energy while being moody and intimate and the exteriors feeling alive create striking contrasts.
Tension and banter within the film are emphasized by jazzy rhythmic cues and emotionally clear moments with more subdued compositions. All of these elements by Theodore Shapiro create a dynamic auditory landscape that further the film’s relentless movement.
Reception and Impact
With their attention being captured through stellar pacing, sharp editing, and eye-catching visuals, audiences were quick to praise the chemistry between Pitt and Clooney. While reviewers noted the film’s nostalgic aspects, they still managed to capture modernity at the same time.
Despite the energetic tone the film gave off, many commented on the predictable plot riddled with overused lines and the mid-argument twist climax that, while exhilarating, drew mixed reviews. Overall, the film was deemed a success for its pure entertainment value as well with the strong potential it showcased for Apple’s original film endeavors.
From the perspective of its box office sales, the film had a short window of cinematic release before it was able to reach its primary audience via streaming services. Its performance digitally was quite strong, placing among the top viewed films on Apple TV+ in the first few weeks.
Wolfs does not reinvent the action-comedy genre, but it does have remarkable proficiency in working within it. What stands out and enhances the film are the supporting performances, especially the shared charisma of the leading actors. Clooney and Pitt appear to take delight in each other’s company, and that sense of friendship comes through in every shot. The film is, therefore, a “feel good” film presenting an enjoyable evening with familiar company who, for some reason, are in the middle of trying to cover up a crime, being chased by a gang, and attempting to outsmart one another.
As the title suggests, Wolfe is a funny and fast-paced film that, while stylish, serves as a reminder that even the most independent ‘lone wolves’ sometimes need a partner, even if it’s just for one night.
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