Wolfs – Movie Reviews by Ry!

Wolfs – Hotel, Drugs and Drama: The Fix is In

Within the realm of possibilities, what comes true from one’s mind is a vision of something more.  That vision propels a thought of what can be real, a creative thread that blends obvious notes for something unique.  In the medium of film, that opening path is all a matter of the journey ahead.  No matter genre, if you can bring the fun (above all else) … then the possibilities are real.  In this review, I look at the latest drama/thriller from Apple.  In an odd setup of two unlikely people, we head off on an adventure filled with crime, folly and convenient mishaps.  Wolfs might not be a game-changer, but it is an intriguing thriller with the question … who is on the fix?

When two rivals’ cross paths, they must work together for a volatile cover up … or fall victim to the unknowns of the night.  When it comes to crime-related films, there are subtle hints of progress in futility.  Within obvious cliches, a filmmaker can bring their own unique take that can spice up the formula.  With this film, it is a mixture of obvious and intrigue that is stringed together by two prevalent actors.  In the beginning, we come into the film through the drop-in method, witnessing Margaret, a prominent New York official, getting caught up in a dire situation at an exquisite hotel.  Through some convenient plot elements, two fixers are contacted, leading to a standoff on who should take the ‘job’.  After some witty banter, a compromise is brokered that forces Margaret’s man (George Clooney) and Pam’s Man (Brad Pitt) to fix the situation together.  From this point, the film becomes a rambling of unsuspected hijinks, filled with typical genre elements like car chases, black market doctors, drugs and mob boss conflicts.  As you move from scene to scene, it is a literal recycling of tropes, one that places a premium on style over substance.  For all that is driven by the ‘moody’ elements, what provides life is the frictional relationship between both fixers.   The simplistic notions of the journey are more fun with these two, as Clooney and Pitt provide deadpan like humor that drives up unpredictability within the predictable.  For all that is ‘alluded’ to what is behind the drama … these two keep it grounded through caution.  This fragile notion of the true leads to the ultimate question … who is really behind what happened at the hotel? 

As the two travel across the city, trying to find answers, the cliché moments begin to move into something fitting of dramatic sequences of folly.  It is the slick/witty banter between the fixers that adds some levity to the action and dramatic moments.  As new information brings certain truths to light, we head into a third act that falls back into its genre defined plot fodder.  Within the web of conspiracies, the fixers make tough choices that propel their journey towards an ominous climax and convoluted epilogue.  Wolfs is a film filled with fun moments in a predictable tale.  If you are a fan of crime dramas, thrillers or those involved, you will find some enjoyment.  It is available on Apple TV Plus, but would have been interesting to see on the big screen.

Full Score – 3 out of 5 (Theater Discount)