Riff Raff, despite a star-studded ensemble, is completely unsure what type of movie it wants to be.
Riff Raff follows Vincent (Ed Harris, Love Lies Bleeding), a former criminal who’s spent the last eighteen years building a new life with his wife Sandy (Gabrielle Union, Space Cadet) and his step-son D.J. (Miles J. Harvey, The Babysitter). One night, Vincent’s past comes back to haunt him when his estranged son Rocco (Lewis Pullman, Salem’s Lot), his pregnant wife Marina (Emanuela Postacchini, Robots), and Rocco’s mother Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus) arrive at his doorstep on the run. Thus forcing Vincent to contend with his past. Meanwhile, Lefty (Bill Murray, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), a notorious gangster, and Lonnie (Pete Davidson, Dog Man), a hitman, travel throughout town to search for Rocco.
Is This Suppose to Be Funny in Riff Raff
With Riff Raff, director Dito Montiel makes a crime caper comedy, one split between being a crime caper and being an actual comedy. A part of that is due to actor-turned-screenwriter John Pollano (Stronger)’s plot and exposition-riddled script. However, when it comes to the dialogue, it feels improvised by the actors. Mainly as if the dialogue itself wasn’t strong enough for the actors to recite. Back to Montiel, he and director of cinematography Xander Crobert (The White Lotus) construct a bright, but simple composition. Namely, the cinematography shows shades of brown that wind up pollinating the screen. This is also mostly represented in the color palette.
Moreover, production designer Kassendra DeAneglis makes the isolated setting stand out by giving it a lived-in quality. For example, we see a ton of clutter in one scene. However, some of the sets do expose the film’s minimal budget. It is apparent mainly in the lack of extras and a lack of a unique set design. Furthermore, composer Adam Taylor (Black Cake) creates a score that reverberates throughout the film. Mainly as a sense of calmness. Even in scenes where there is heightened tension. Coming in at an hour and forty-three minutes, editor Tim Streeto (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) edits the film deliberately, allowing the pacing to be more gradual. Thus leading to a solid but uneventful conclusion.
Performances in Riff Raff
Regarding the cast, Ed Harris (A History of Violence) leads the cast as Vincent. As Vincent, Harris displays good chemistry with the ensemble. Especially with Gabrielle Union (Truth Be Told)’s Sandy and Miles J. Harvey (One of Us is Lying) DJ. That said, while Union does have a few good moments, she feels partly underutilized. Mainly because the script is trying to juggle so many characters that Union’s Sandy gets lost in the shuffle. But Harvey holds his own against Harris, bringing in a solid performance.
Yet, some standouts include Lewis Pullman (Skincare) as Rocco, who brings out a sympathetic rebelliousness. Especially when paired up with Emanuela Postacchini (Robots)’s Marina. As a result, the two display a Bonnie and Clyde-like dynamic with each other. However, this leads to Jennifer Coolidge (We Have a Ghost), who, as Ruth, suffers as the weak link for the ensemble. For most of the film, Coolidge tries to subvert her usual style. But, in certain moments, her style would come out. This becomes more evident during the film’s third act, where it starts barreling through.
Rounding out the cast are Bill Murray (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania) and Pete Davidson (Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) as the gangster Lefty and the hitman Lonnie, respectively. Both deliver solid performances, with Murray using his dry wit to be menacing. Meanwhile, Davidson does the same thing. However, the only difference is that Davidson uses his neuroticism somewhat. In turn, this allows Davidson to deliver a solid performance.
Final Thoughts
Regarding Riff Raff, director Dito Montiel’s crime caper is thoroughly mired with unsurety. Specifically, the movie is unsure whether or not the film wants to be entirely a crime caper with comedic elements. Or a comedy with crime-caper elements. As a result, the indecisiveness hurts the film. As for the individual aspects, such as the performances, the ensemble was good, with some of the standouts being Ed Harris and Lewis Pullman. Overall, Riff Raff, despite some good performances, is unsure of what it wants to be. A comedy. Or a caper.
