“Wolfs,” directed by Jon Watts, reunites George Clooney and Brad Pitt in a traditional action-comedy. The film follows two unnamed “fixers” — professionals privately contracted to make incriminating evidence disappear. The film received an Apple TV+ streaming release on Sept. 27.
Clooney and Pitt have a lot in common. They’re undeniably two of the biggest movie stars to get their start in the ‘90s. Clooney rose to fame after starring in “From Dusk Till Dawn” and “Batman & Robin.” Similarly, Pitt entered the spotlight with his roles in “12 Monkeys” and “Fight Club.” Their careers converged in “Ocean’s Eleven,” a classic film that cemented their status as true Hollywood icons. Though the pair have worked together a few times since, “Wolfs” marks their first collaboration in nearly 20 years.
In “Wolfs,” Manhattan district attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) calls a fixer (Clooney) to clean up after a young man (Austin Abrams) dies in her hotel room. The hotel owner (Frances McDormand) — who placed secret cameras in all the rooms — calls her own fixer (Pitt) to ensure that the death does not leak to the press. Margaret and the hotel owner agree that the fixers must work together to ensure both of their interests are met. Unbeknownst to the fixers, a conspiracy poses a risk to them all.
On its surface, “Wolfs” is a fairly standard action-comedy; its main appeal lies in the star power of Clooney and Pitt. Their characters notably remain unnamed for the duration of the film as if to say “Why bother, we know you’re just going to call them George and Brad.”
The real-life personas of Clooney and Pitt are an unspoken yet heavily present aspect of “Wolfs.” The two play seasoned professionals aging out of their craft — sound familiar? Clooney, at age 63, and Pitt, at age 60, are well aware that their days as Hollywood’s it-men have come and gone, and they are taking this opportunity to poke a bit of fun at themselves. Their characters have aching backs, need reading glasses and spend the movie unsuccessfully unraveling a hidden scheme.
That’s not to say the two have lost the juice. Clooney and Pitt are effortlessly charismatic in their roles. The fixers have an antagonistic relationship in “Wolfs,” which is a fun contrast to Danny Ocean (Clooney) and Rusty Ryan’s (Pitt) partnership in the “Ocean’s” franchise. The actors have a special chemistry that couldn’t be replicated by any other pairing of movie stars.
Apart from the two’s performances, “Wolfs” does little to stand out from the plethora of action-comedies produced every year. It follows many of the story beats that viewers have come to expect from a movie of its kind — not to mention that the screenplay is quite messy, with developments in the plot often being rushed and confusing. Viewers may be better off going with the flow rather than dwelling on specific details, as an in-depth understanding of the plot is ultimately not too important to the overall experience.
As the movie comes to an end, our protagonists live to see another day, a hopeful ending with a meta interpretation. The film seems to suggest that though Clooney and Pitt are aging out of stardom, they’re still the right men for the job. But is this the case?
In their heyday, Clooney and Pitt could sell tickets to a movie based on their names alone. But with the release of “Wolfs,” it’s evident that times have changed.
“Wolfs” was originally set to have a wide theatrical release on Sept. 20. However, in August 2024, Apple shifted strategies. As reported by Nicole Sperling in The New York Times, the film would receive a one-week limited theatrical release on Sept. 20, followed by a streaming release on Sept. 27.
“There was a thought within the company to not risk a public disappointment should the movie not succeed at the box office,” Sperling said.
“Wolfs” is not a bad film; in fact, it’s quite entertaining. Nevertheless, it’s a movie that will disappoint many viewers. Those looking to watch a film with the artistry and vivacity of “Ocean’s Eleven” may be better off rewatching that classic. But those looking to casually throw on a movie and hang out with their favorite movie stars for a couple of hours will likely enjoy “Wolfs.” Sometimes a movie doesn’t need to be a masterpiece — it just needs to be fun.
Drew Askeland is an Arts & Entertainment Staff Writer. He can be reached at daskelan@uci.edu.
Edited by Alaina Retodo and Ben De Guzman.