The Stream: A little slow and too low key for a crime thriller.

The Big Screen: Austin Abrams is a scene stealer.

The Final Bill: Come for the Clooney/Pitt banter. Stay for Austin Abrams.

– Trip Fontaine
Director: Jon Watts
Writers: Jon Watts
Stars: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Austin Abrams, Amy Ryan, Poorna Jagannathan, Frances McDormand
Genre: Crime, Thriller,
Rating: R for language throughout and some violent content
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
Production Companies: Apple Studios, Plan B Entertainment, Freshman Year, Smokehouse Pictures
Platform: On Apple TV+ as of September 27, 2024
Notable Trailers: Blitz

Hey, Streamers! Sometimes you don’t have to trek to the movie theater to get your fill of movie stars. You can click on over to Apple TV+ for its new release, Wolfs, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. In this movie, Clooney plays a professional fixer called in to the clean up a body in the hotel room of a New York City district attorney played by Amy Ryan. Pitt, also a professional fixer, is hired by the hotel to ensure that no scandal comes its way due to this incident. Although they are each lone wolves, Clooney and Pitt are forced to work together to get the job done when things spiral unexpectedly out of control. Quippy dialogue and leather-clad hijinks ensue.

Wolfs, written and directed by Jon Watts, is a stylish and slick crime, action-comedy that knows that its main asset is the chemistry between Pitt and Clooney. This film isn’t so clever that any other actors could fill the roles and the movie be as good. These leads have such good rapport that even lackluster dialogue has a snap to it just by their delivery. It’s a little strange because their characters aren’t supposed to know each other, but they have immediate, undeniable chemistry. Other than that, a lot of typical action-comedy tropes pop up. I can’t really say that the movie is predictable per se, but it’s also not doing anything too new. Even though the elements are familiar, there are interesting twists here and there that keep you interested. However, the first 20 minutes are pretty slow and it’s hard to see where the story is going.

On the upside, Austin Abrams has a breakout role here. He has a very fun action sequence. It seems to go on for a long time, but it is entertaining. Abrams also injects the movie with some much-needed energy as it gets a little low key and stagnant before his character arrives. He matches the quick wit and banter that Clooney and Pitt have established. It’s a memorable and endearing performance.

Ultimately, Wolfs is a stylish, crime comedy buoyed by the banter of Clooney and Pitt and a scene-stealing performance by Austin Abrams. The movie starts off slow, but there are enough interesting tweaks to a familiar formula to be entertaining. Since it is streaming on Apple TV+, you can enjoy a bowl of popcorn and settle in with these movie stars on your couch.