Riff Raff

Riff Raff (2024) has many good qualities, but also a few gaps. Acting is solid, with credible performances by Ed Harris, Bill Murray, Pete Davidson, and other less familiar actors. The plot offers layers of complexity. Production values are adequate for a mid-budget film. It's watchable, but not thoroughly enjoyable. I liked Ed Harris's Vincent, but couldn't identify with him. It was nice to see Bill Murray playing against type. However, I never truly identified with or cared about any of the characters.

Some scenes seemed familiar and predictable. There was possibly an overreliance on flashbacks. It seemed a bit awkwardly politically correct with an interracial romance that laced passion. The ending was a bit noir, but spoiled by a Hollywood denouement and a climatic scene that seemed contrived and improbable. The filmmakers offer exposition on family that doesn't quite fit the action, but leave the viewer wondering what it all meant.

Long, drawn out and cringe.

I almost feel sorry for Pete Davidson, but he's a dope that does dope.

A bunch of non engaging characters are cruel to each other and most of the people that they encounter. This is just bad wanna be Tarantino and Bill Murray's schtick is old and so is he. Trying to figure out what the point was. And Ed Harris getting it on with gorgeous Gabrielle Union made the skin on my body want to crawl off. Lots of drawn out scenes and Harris's character is such a dried up jerk I don't get what his appeal was. The dough black kid had a few funny lines, and the Italian gal was stunning, but this thing was 20 minutes too long. And twist I figured out in the first 15 minutes.

I don't like it when a movie starts with a scene from the end and then rewinds back to the start - however, in this case I can at least understand why they needed to do it. The first 80% of this movie is painfully boring.

Which is a shame because the final sequence of the movie is actually really good and entertaining, proving that the film had the goods all along, it just wasn't using them.

The only scenes that were interesting in the early going were the Bill Murray and Pete Davidson ones. They were some fun villains and more screentime for them would've gone a long way.

'Riff Raff' feels like a waste of a really good cast. A lot of movies would kill to have a cast like this. A generous 5/10.

I went into this movie blind, having only seen the cast list and description. No Trailer. But a dark comedy with a great ensemble cast? Yes Please!

But the movie is sparse with comedy. Some light chuckles here and there. Some characters are just sad, like Coolidge. Everyone portrayed their characters very well though.

The story does a lot flash backs and time jumps. Almost everything is a cut away. It's not a novel story, it's actually very familiar. Actors play their usual tropes. Ed Harris moves on from his troubled past until it catches up to him.

Good use of scenery and music.

It's all well acted, well shot, but meanders without comedy. It was an entertaining watch. But a better script would have given the great cast more to do.

6.5*/10*

More reviews on my YT --GremlinLord615.

This comedy crime thriller feels really dry. The comedy didn't really hit any spot and the family drama is lacking depth. Maybe they should've showed the audience more about Sandy and Vincent's past. And then maybe do the same for Ruth and Rocco's. Cause when I watched their conflicts and family dysfunction, all I got is more questions than understandings. They spilled too much, too soon. In a glance, Vincent's ex wife just seemed like a messed up old lady who likes to get drunk 24/7, and Rocco just looked like the messier version of her. The only decent thing about this movie is when Johnnie's incident was explained. And then the sh#t hits the fan and gave a messy ending. If you have any other movies lined up, skip this one. It's not a good movie. I regretted watching it.