‘Wolfs’ Review: Brad Pitt and George Clooney Deliver the Ultimate (and Wholesome) Face Off in Jon Watts’ Exciting New Thriller | Venice

The harsh sound of glass breaking.“Shit!,” we hear a woman exclaim while the opening scene soars over night-time Manhattan. Blinds slide down over some French windows in one of those tall buildings, but the mismatch between nearer sound and long-shot images feels rather distorienting. Wolfs, the new film by Spider-Man trilogy director Jon Watts, wants us to be slightly confused. Something bad has happened, yes, but the questions of why, how, and when, seem less relevant to campaigning Defense Attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) who we meet in this lush hotel room as she loses her bearings over the naked male body sprawled on the floor. Panicking, she dials a hidden number to help her “fix it.” Not long after, the fixer arrives: a man in a black turtleneck sweater and a leather jacket (George Clooney) comes knocking on the door. While he’s outlining a plan to dispose of the body, a second man arrives (Brad Pitt), wearing a white collar shirt and a similar leather jacket. While these two fifty-something professionals are not exactly the spitting image of each other, they share mannerisms, cadence, and a commitment to doing the job right. Alone.

At the heart of Wolfs sits male loneliness. In its genre-specific form, that is the fixer (and hitman when he needs to be one), a paradigmatic “lone wolf” with no ties, no liabilities, and no feelings. Yet, Watts is conscious enough that this idea is not only dated and overdone, but also untrue. His crime thriller, instead, explores the difficult process of overcoming said loneliness, with all the reluctance and setbacks that may entail. When the two men—who remain nameless throughout the film—meet, their responses are hostile and the abundance of quips, swearing, and raised eyebrows from both Clooney and Pitt are still in line with the genre convention: there can only be one man who’s worthy. 

Through the film’s beguilingly convoluted cat and mouse game, we follow two protagonists on their journey to not only solving the crime, but also recognizing each other as equals. Within the tight confines of high-profile crime—drug lords get involved, conspiracies, various interests at play that both separate the heroes and bring them together—what really comes to the foreground in Wolfs is the ambivalence inherent to male friendship (and any form of intimacy, for that matter, sprung out of the social conditionings of patriarchy). Even if Watts’s script introduces a third figure—a much younger guy (Austin Abrams) who’s agreed to deliver drugs on behalf of his friend—with a clear function, to mediate the tensions between the two male egos, it all works remarkably well. 

The kid (Abrams) is a fish out of water in a world of sophisticated crime and offers a lot of comedic respite that sweetly compliments the meta-jokes exchanged between Clooney and Pitt’s characters at all times. Recounting the biting remarks and the one-liners won’t do justice to the pure joy of watching this film; and yet, the film never tips into cringe comedy that makes fun of its stars who are past their prime. Because neither Pitt nor Clooney are. 

It’s all quite evident in the way cinematographer Larkin Seiple lenses the film, boldly framing each of them in facial close-ups without the worry that one or the other would look “old” or “weary” in action roles. It’s no secret these two have been some of the best looking Hollywood stars for decades now and what better way to celebrate them than giving the audience as much of them as they can behold. Whether it’s Clooney’s sturdy stare, always tinged with a hint of suspicion, or the signature mildly sarcastic grin that graces Pitt’s face whenever his character has proven somebody wrong, it’s all there for us to lap up. But Wolfs has much more to offer than objects of admiration. One of the film’s particularly strong suits is that it gives its leads the time to bicker and compete. 

While that may sound like a paradox since such a narrative decision does slow the action pace down, Watts’s script seems to be reaching for a deeper understanding of how heteronormative male bonds are formed—at least in that generation—through a cycle of unhealthy dick-measuring that can hopefully birth mutual respect and appreciation. It may sound simple, but it’s a wonder to behold, especially when enacted by these two versatile A-listers, who put their everything into these roles. From mumbling offers to support one another during a shootout, through realizing they share the same doctor-helper (Poorna Jagannathan), to an accidental shared wedding dance at a party organized by crime boss Dimitry (the stellar Zlatko Burić, who always manages to be both hilarious and terrifying), there are countless instances of intimacy forming between the two men. Of course, it’s funny to witness their resistance and the ways they cave in, but what’s miraculous about this film is how none of it comes at the expense of the genre-specific pleasures. Expect thrills, laughs, and wholesome chuckles, as well as a newfound appreciation for non-toxic, non-performative masculinity.

Grade: B-

This review is from the 2024 Venice Film Festival where Wolfs premiered out of competition. Apple and Columbia Pictures will release the film in U.S theaters on September 20 and on AppleTV+ September 27.