Wolfs Review (2024) – Is It Worth Watching?: Wolfs is an action-comedy film directed by Jon Watts. It stars George Clooney and Brad Pitt in pivotal roles. The movie is the first non-franchise project for the Spider-Man director Watts.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s presence in Wolfs film undoubtedly adds charisma to the screen, but it is not enough this time. The legendary duo brings energy to the screen whenever they are in the frame, but the writing and direction by Jon Watts do not do justice to them this time.
The A-lister actors bring an iconic presence to this film, but it is no cinematic gem. It is a mediocre action-comedy starring the legendary duo- George Clooney and Brad Pitt- but it lacks the lustrousness of the other aspects of the film.
The expectations are quite high when actors like Clooney and Pitt are present in a film. While this film does not meet all the expectations, it gives the audience a fun watch.
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Wolfs Review
Wolfs plot is set across one night in New York, where two professional fixers are hired for the same job, much to their dismay. An ambitious district attorney, Margaret(played by Amy Ryan), finds a young male escort dead in her five-star luxury suite. She, in a panic state, calls her fixer(Margaret’s Man). The fixer advises her not to touch anything until he comes. He is George Clooney. As he begins to clean up the mess, claiming to be the best at his job and saying that no one else can do it, another door knock catches both of them off guard. The other fixer arrives; he is Brad Pitt. He is called by Pamela Doud(the hotel manager).
The characters are not given any name and are referred to as Margaret’s Man and Pam’s Man throughout the film. The legendary Academy-Award Winner actress- Frances McDormant lends her voice to Pamela Doud’s (the hotel manager) character.
After some arguments, both professional fixers finally agree to work as Wolfs(together), not as the Lone Wolves they prefer. To make matters worse, the presumed dead body of the escort is alive, and his bag has drugs in it. After finding the drugs, the hotel manager, Pamela, orders the two fixers to return the drugs to their owners, which follows a chaotic night out involving car chases, guns, and Albanian gangsters in New York City.
The kid(played by Austin Abrams) is also not given a name in the film. Apart from the lead actors’ performances and a cameo of Amy Ryan as Margaret, Austin Abrams outshines his role with his monologues and nervy confessions, and even at some points in the film, he steals the spotlights from his seniors. He idolizes the two older men by saying they dress and act like the same guy. Poorna Jagannathan shows up later in the movie as June. Given her limited screen time, she still leaves her mark in the doctor role.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt constantly bicker throughout the film(much to the annoyance of the kid and, honestly, the viewers, too). Their constant competition and arguing with each other provide a comic element to this action thriller.
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The Jon Watts directional movie Wolfs focuses on the charisma and name value of its lead actors rather than the film’s story. Jon Watts expresses his total inability to portray a worthy scene of the two lead characters. The film doesn’t even have a proper antagonist; such was director Watts’s belief in Clooney and Pitt’s charisma, which he thought would be enough to make the film a treat.
There is so much that Clooney and Pitt together can do in a frame, as seen in the Ocean’s trilogy film(2001-2007) and their last appearance in Burn After Reading(2008). Wolfs, on the other hand, present a mediocre performance from the legends who are otherwise known to light up the screen even without moving a muscle. In this film, they are left to banter and argue. There are car and foot chases and gun fights. Undoubtedly, these scenes provide the film with some comedic elements and fun, but viewers can’t help but notice that the lead actors lack the main energy.
Returning to the positive highlights of the movie, the film visuals appear like a million dollars. The visual design is well managed by the cinematographer Larkin Seiple. He presents New York in a new light and frame, which is a remarkable feat considering how many times the city has been portrayed in movies worldwide.
Wolfs also balanced the spotlight equally between both stars- Clooney and Pitt. The two actors feel relaxed in their roles but lack their iconic energy. The storyline lacks tension, and suspense, limiting them to perform mediocrely. As a result, the film comes as a standard film, not a cinematic masterpiece. The two actors- rather than in an attempt to outshine their respective roles and deliver a standout performance- seem to enjoy each other’s company. It may seem promising to their fans, but this does not resonate well with pure film lovers.
Wolfs Movie Overview
The film has some shortcomings regarding its screenplay and story, but certain sequences are hilarious and cool. The scene where the kid and the two fixers visit a hotel to rent a room for the night is bound to make people laugh. The forced dance sequence of Clooney and Pitt at the wedding is quite hilarious—the chase scene to retrieve the kid after his escape is downright cool.
Wolfs is a fun and entertaining watch because of its two superstars’ iconic presence. Many sequences in the film are bound to make the people laugh. However, the film appears to operate on charisma rather than craft. It is not a memorable experience. But will the audience enjoy spending two hours in the company of George Clooney and Brad Pitt? Of course, they will because no one can do what they can do.
Wolfs is currently streaming on Apple+ TV. Its runtime is- 1 hour 48 minutes.
