Jon Watts’ Wolfs: Clooney and Pitt Are Back at It in a Bittersweet Neo-Noir Comedy
Wolfs has been one of the most anticipated releases of the end of summer for many reasons. The main reason is the reunion of George Clooney and Brad Pitt, two of the most charismatic actors of the last few decades. But it also marks their return to a genre that is always appealing. Lastly, Jon Watts returns to the type of filmmaking that made him a recognized name. However, the film’s bumpy release has left a somewhat bittersweet taste.
Clearly inspired by the neo-noir comedies of the Coen brothers, Tarantino, or the more playful Soderbergh (among other explicit and implicit references), Watts offers a proposal here that is hard to ignore. It feels like a return to the origins of the kind of movies that catapulted the three main players to stardom. It’s a treat for any film buff who enjoys studying the work of actors and directors as a whole… But it could have aimed for more.
There are certain elements and gags that are quite effective in giving the story a twilight air. The fact that Clooney and Pitt, now in their sixties, share the screen again is in itself an event and a statement of intent… But beyond that, the film offers few elements that manage to bring something new. Somehow, it seems content to be what it is, and in doing so, it squanders the potential to be something more powerful and interesting.
It’s a bit sad to see how the opportunity is wasted by playing it safe. It’s strange, considering Pitt’s role as a producer has tended to favor bolder projects. But in this case, he has chosen to launch a project that is bound to make you smile and that has certain surprising sequences but, in the end, feels like a somewhat generic project lacking in bite. Much like his other appearances with the web-slinger (referring to Pitt’s Marvel collaborations).
That said, the script is solid and satisfying in its dramatic construction. It’s a film from which you can learn a lot about structure, and its plot moves briskly, always advancing and building conflict in an organic way. It’s unrealistic in its situations, but highly believable. It’s one of those puzzles where there’s digression, but all the pieces eventually fit, and you can appreciate that heart has been put into the project. It’s the kind of cinema that many aspire to make but few can materialize in this way.
Watts has personality, as he demonstrated in Cop Car. Somehow, he wants to continue the tone and style of that film. Coupled with his work on films for Marvel Studios, it would be logical for him to want to try new things and push the envelope a bit more in terms of form. He makes some creative planning decisions and gets the most out of the film’s stars, but it seems he didn’t want to stray too far from the line, delivering gags that have been done countless times before, with a script structure as classic and effective as it is schematic and worn-out.
Still, if you expect to be dazzled by the charisma and chemistry that Pitt and Clooney share, this is your movie. At this point, there’s little more to say about these two titanic stars other than the fact that one can only be captivated by their presence and their work. They don’t even need to act, as their aura is enough to carry the film, and they always manage to have that magical effect in front of the camera. Suffice to say that together, they keep you hooked thanks to the contrast they create between them. The fact that they are the absolute protagonists multiplies what was achieved in the Ocean’s saga. It’s a film tailor-made for them. They share the screen with a hilarious Austin Abrams and the competent Amy Ryan and Poorna Jagannathan. In any case, the film is largely sustained by the cast.
It’s also inevitable to mention that this film deserved a theatrical release, as it directly engages with films that have enriched the medium. Maybe a tech company like Apple fears failure, but there are films that need and demand greater visibility instead of being just another drop in the weekly waterfall of content. Pulling it from the exhibition window just weeks before its release is not the way to go in any case, and the disappointment felt by the stars is logical and understandable, not to mention that it cuts the potential profits they could have earned from this film. Like it or not, the best way to monetize films is still through theatrical releases, and I hope all production companies realize this sooner rather than later.
Wolfs is solid, classy entertainment. But one can’t help but think about what the film could have been, rather than what the film actually is. So, the issue is more about the viewer’s expectations than the movie itself…
