Sometimes, the best time at the movies comes when you feel like you’re hanging out with friends.
This is the case with Wolfs, the new comedy starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Their personal friendship has always translated onscreen and had a certain boyish charm. Now, with the release of Wolfs, they once again invite the viewer to join in the fun.
In Wolfs, we meet Jack (Clooney), a professional fixer who’s hired to clean up after a high-profile district attorney (Amy Smart) is involved in a horrendous crime. However, while Jack gets to work, he’s interrupted by Nick (Pitt), a second fixer called in to take over the job. As things begin to spiral out of control, the two ‘lone wolves’ find themselves forced to team up in an effort to finish the job and, potentially, simply just survive the night.
Written and directed by Jon Watts, Wolfs is an entertaining film that cleans up on the back of its stars. The magic of Clooney and Pitt has always been their banter with one another. Even in moments where the script lags, the chemistry between these two real-life best friends is simply too palpable for it not to become infectious. While, at the film’s outset, they appear unwilling to team up, we know that their alliance is inevitable. And, as they begin to play more with one another, the film really comes to life. Over twenty years (!) since their first onscreen union in Ocean’s Eleven, Clooney and Pitt still have that same magic when given the chance to bounce off one another. In Wolfs, it’s these moments that are most memorable. And its these moments that keep the film on track.
Even so, credit must also be given to their young co-star, Austin Abrams. With Clooney and Pitt’s breezy banter with one another, one might find it intimidating to work a scene with the two Oscar winners. But Abrams doesn’t just keep up with them, he steals scenes from them. As ‘the kid’, Abrams (literally) bounces off the walls with youthful energy. His fire and silliness feel like the perfect foil to Clooney and Pitt’s more stoic demeanours. (This becomes particularly apparent in an interrogation scene with the three men. It’s here were the comedic timing between them really pops, revving up the film after some slower-paced moments.)
While the comedy remains the film’s core, Wolfs taps into the loneliness that can happen between men obsessed with their work. Both Jack and Nick have committed to the ‘monastic’ code of their craft, leading both of them to believe that they are the best in their field. Both men are fiercely dedicated to ‘the job’, as though their very identities depended on their success. (“When you take a job, you finish it,” we’re reminded repeatedly.) And the misspelling of the title is intentional. These are two men who work hard to maintain their individuality.
In short. these two ‘lone wolfs’ have no interest in a being part of a pack. And they’re determined to stay that way.
However, the cost of doing business in that manner also means that they both live lives of isolation. While that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ‘lonely’ per se, the viewer can see the toll that it has taken upon them. They, themselves, attempt to appear cold to those around them, but we become privy to moments of vulnerability. Jack’s icy demeanour shows genuine empathy for his clients. Meanwhile, Nick cares about the effects of the ‘more difficult’ parts of the job. But, despite their protests, their team up seems to fill a void that both men have within them.
Again, that’s the sort of connection onscreen that built upon the years of friendship between the two stars. While there are moments when the script lags, the ease of their banter never waivers. That’s what gets the job done. And that’s what makes it worth the money.
In the end, Wolfs isn’t going to be the film that is most noteworthy on Pitt and Clooney’s iMDb page. There are moments where the script seems to jump around and some characters seem to get forgotten. But, honestly, these gaps can easily be forgiven. Just seeing Clooney and Pitt verbally spar with one another makes the viewer feel like they’ve been invited to a night on the town with two old friends. For that reason, while the script may not have much bite, these two Wolfs still have the potential to make you howl with laughter.
Wolfs is available in theatres on September 20th, 2024.
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