Juego sucio

Such a waste of great talent. It's like a bunch of fifth graders wrote and directed this convoluted plot-hole riddled nonsense. There were so many pointless scenes that seem like they should matter, but never do (e.g. Why always room 12?). Then it jumps between a serious tone to a lame comedy, like an failed SNL skit that didn't make the cut. Never mind the lack of any real plot advancement in between the useless scenes, the ridiculously slow pacing and overlong runtime. Don't even get me started on the horrible editing, especially in the first scene which set the stage for this messy nonsense. It's a generous 5/10 all for the all star cast doing their best with the garbage the filmmakers gave them to work with.

This was almost funny, almost exciting and almost clever. It had all the ingredients for another Nice Guys or Kiss Kiss Bang Bang but somehow it just passed by instead. I'm not going to pretend I know what went wrong, it just didn't work for me. Maybe it will for you, so good luck with that. I hope you get along.

Ultimately, Play Dirty is fine. It clocks in at a slightly bloated two hours, offering moments of mild entertainment and professional craftsmanship, but lacking the originality or emotional depth to leave a lasting impression. It's the kind of film you'll forget you saw a week later, but won't regret watching while you were in the theater. If you are desperate for a weekend diversion and all the good seats are taken, Play Dirty will, well, play. But don't expect it to redefine the genre.

Shane Black returns, this time with Amazon Studios and MGM, to bring us a crazy heist comedy with a charismatic cast led by Mark Wahlberg.

With a cast that includes Lakeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Nat Wolff, and Tony Shalhoub, the film takes us through a series of heists with the characteristic humor of a director who perfectly balances comedy and action. Shane Black delivers an entertaining action comedy reminiscent of those fun '90s movies. Packed with action, chases, and some truly effective gags, this film succeeds in its goal of entertaining. While it may not be entirely coherent, its charming cast makes it all quite believable.

Black adapts Donald E. Westlake's classic anti-hero into an entertaining and well-crafted adventure, starring Mark Wahlberg who masters this type of character. While his performance is fine, he's surrounded by a charismatic cast, always conveying the sense of enjoyment on screen. The director recaptures some of the essence of his prime, albeit a few notches lower, but it's still a good impression for someone who has always been fun to watch in his work.

It's a made-for-streaming movie, something that's noticeable in its visual effects, though it's not overly distracting. The film is entertaining and makes for a good weekend getaway. It has some very funny sequences where the director manages to show his essence, and others that are somewhat weaker, but that doesn't detract from the overall entertainment value. It's an action comedy with ups and downs, but always sincere in its intention to entertain the viewer with its most authentic elements, and it achieves this in a pleasing and effective way.

Afterwards, we can enjoy it if the film lives up to all our expectations. However, it won't waste your time, as at least you'll have one pleasant moment on screen.

If you're a fan of Mark Wahlberg (and I am), then this is a completely watchable movie that provides a couple of hours of entertainment. But it's no better than a 6. There are some clever plot twists and a good "buddy" feel of him working with his gang.

But there are two oddities that bugged me a fair amount. First was a serious "this must have been done with AI" feel to many of the big actions scenes. Car crashes, train derailments, you have it, they felt "created;" they didn't look "real". Second was the against type casting of Wahlberg, Keegan Michael Key, Tony Shaloub as not-so-likeable criminals undermined the movie for me. Shaloub just doesn't seem like a mob boss, especially not one with an Italian-sounding name.

Bottom line: if you are looking for a little entertainment, and happy with the "Ah! That's why they did that!" moments in the movie, you'll enjoy it enough to spend the time.