Riff Raff (2025)
Directed by: Dito Montiel
Premise: A former criminal (Ed Harris) is visited by his estranged son (Lewis Pullman) who is on the run from a gangster (Bill Murray).
What Works: Riff Raff is an organized crime story adjacent to Coen Brothers films such as Fargo and Miller’s Crossing. It has a similar mix of intrigue, violence, and humor and those elements are well balanced in a way that keeps the film unpredictable. The entire cast is great with actors well matched with their characters. Ed Harris plays a reformed criminal who has settled into a quiet family life with his wife and teenage stepson (Gabrielle Union and Miles J. Harvey) and they are staying in a rural vacation home of the holidays. The ex-wife and adult son (Jennifer Coolidge and Lewis Pullman) of Harris’ character crash the getaway, creating a fascinating tension between the families. One is wholesome while the other is not and Harris’ character is the link between them. The criminal characters are portrayed with a lot of humanity. We’re set up to regard Pullman’s character as trouble but he’s revealed to be a sympathetic and reasonable person. In a rare villain role, Bill Murray is cast as the gangster in pursuit and he plays the role with a calmness that’s frightening. Murray is paired with Pete Davidson as the triggerman. They have a goofy banter that is both funny but also distressing in its violence. The majority of Riff Raff is admirably efficient in its storytelling. The narrative moves forward at a clip but it also allows a lot of telling character moments. It’s also impressively unified. There are a lot of setups and payoffs but not in a way that is obvious and the climax brings everything together in a way that is satisfying.
What Doesn’t: The very beginning and very end of Riff Raff don’t play as well. The film opens with a flash forward that it doesn’t need. The other opening scenes feel disconnected from each other and the action and camera movements in these scenes are clumsy. The weakest element of Riff Raff is its denouement. The story builds up to revelations that force everyone to make difficult choices that ultimately fracture the family. However, the very end of Riff Raff ignores the consequences of the climax. It’s a far too happy and conciliatory conclusion that undermines the stakes of the drama.
Bottom Line: It’s a bit rocky in the beginning and doesn’t quite stick the landing but for most of its running time Riff Raff is a well-made picture with a lot to recommend it. The mix of humor and violence and family drama is engaging.
Episode: #1038 (March 9, 2025)