White Boy Rick

White Boy Rick: This is a true story based in the 80's about a 15-year-old, Rick Wershe Jr, who worked as an undercover FBI informant. I hadn't read up on this story, because I wanted to watch the movie not knowing any details. I was pleasantly surprised. This movie was not what I was expecting. I went in thinking it would be a Pablo Escobar kinda movie, but it was not. It's about a teenager trying to figure out how to survive living in a low income part of Detroit. It was heart wrenching, and even had some very funny parts. It also had some parts that made you shake your head and say, "what is he thinking?" In my opinion, it's definitely worth the watch. Also, I was completely blown away by Richie Merritt's performance. Especially since this was the first time he's acted, ever.

Yes, if you expect this to be a Hollywood "gangster movie" with distinctly extreme highs and lows in the plot, you'll be extremely disappointed....but if you remember that White Boy Rick is just a human being, and this is a film about human beings struggling, you'll appreciate this film.

White Boy Rick is the cinematic equivalent of Sloppy Joes. It tastes good, but it never coalesces into something satisfying, with a solid base of support to keep it together. White Boy Rick has all the ingredients of a great film. A stellar all-star cast, excellent cinematography, razor-sharp editing and a story that keeps you invested the entire time. But something seems missing. For one, some of the story seems rushed to get to the more interesting aspects, without properly explaining how we get there. For example, how did the FBI hone into Rick and his father for an FBI investigation? The agents just appear in the beginning, and we're supposed to roll with it. Now you understand why I compared it to Sloppy Joes. The exposition, at times, is pretty sloppy. But fortunately, never once did that take me out of the film. White Boy Rick is a thoroughly good time at the movies. The performances, notably from McConaughey, are top notch. White Boy Rick himself garners sympathy as a lost soul, and that's important to clarify. Some people might write this off as a run-of-the-mill crime thriller biting off "The Wire". If I was so inclined to be jaded, maybe I'd agree. But always give things the benefit of the doubt. Give it a watch?

I was expecting a movie that showed the rise (and fall) of the youngest gangster in America, but I ended up getting a movie with an identity crisis. It didn't know if it wanted to be a crime drama or a family drama. Too many details were skipped or fast forwarded, like Rick's rise to power in the second half of the movie. Then it all comes down crashing so fast, I felt like they ran out of time trying to tell the story. The acting was average, I didn't see any particular standout performances, and it was hard to feel empathy for any character. Overall, an okay movie, worth streaming maybe somewhere down the road.

I went to see this with an open mind as the reviews were mixed. I actually enjoyed the movie. Yes, some parts were slow but this is not Infinity Wars people (the Marvel generation wants an explosion or murder every 2 minutes). I actually found the dad's character as the most believable. His struggles in life and poor decision making was the actual catalyst for most of the stuff that went on. I say go see it for yourself. May not be a date movie but definitely a guy movie for sure.