The Rip
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ (out of 5 stars)
There are few creative partnerships in modern Hollywood as enduring or as culturally loaded as that of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. From Good Will Hunting to The Town, Air, and beyond, their collaborations carry with them a shorthand of shared history, trust, and fraternal chemistry that filmmakers can either waste or weaponise. In The Rip, a January-released Netflix crime thriller that arrived with relatively little fanfare, that history becomes the film’s secret weapon. Director Joe Carnahan understands exactly what Damon and Affleck represent onscreen, and then uses that expectation to keep the audience perpetually off balance. The result is a tense, stylish cop thriller that far exceeds its streaming-service origins and stands as one of the most gripping films in recent years.
The Rip follows a tightly wound group of Miami narcotics officers operating on the edges of legality as they investigate a major cash seizure tied to organised crime. But when a seemingly routine bust uncovers an extraordinary haul of untraceable money, the green eyed monster of greed rears its ugly head. As Damon’s Dumars calculates, “There’s $1.4 million in this bucket. I eyeball 14 more of these things. That’s a $20 million rip.” What begins as a whispered possibility quickly becomes a moral fault line, exposing fractures within the team and forcing each character to decide what their integrity is worth when no one seems to be watching.
Ben Affleck plays the film’s moral centre Byrne, though that centre is constantly volatile, while Matt Damon’s Dumars occupies a more uncertain, unpredictable space. Their dynamic is electric, built on unspoken familiarity rather than expositional dialogue. The film smartly resists turning either man into a caricature of hero or villain. Instead, The Rip allows both to exist in morally compromised grey zones, where good intentions and selfish instincts sit dangerously close together. The supporting cast of Teyana Taylor, Steven Yeun, Catalina Sandino Mareno and Kyle Chandler is uniformly strong, grounding the film in a believable institutional world of tired cops, compromised systems, and unspoken rules. While The Rip doesn’t delve deeply into the structural causes of corruption as its interest lies more in personal decision-making than systemic critique, it compensates with sharply written character moments and escalating pressure. By the time the film reaches its slightly overblown final stretch, the audience is already so invested in the characters that the heightened drama feels earned rather than indulgent.
Much of the film’s effectiveness comes down to its craftsmanship. The cinematography is striking, making exceptional use of shadows, narrow corridors, and low-light environments to visually reinforce the ethical murkiness of the story. Darkness isn’t just an aesthetic choice here; it’s a thematic one. Characters are frequently half-lit or obscured, framed in ways that suggest duplicity, concealment, and the erosion of clarity. Even in moments of action, particularly the film’s standout shootout sequences, the camera remains disciplined, prioritising spatial coherence and emotional tension over chaotic spectacle. It’s a reminder of how effective restraint can be in an era of overstimulation.
The result is a stylish, morally charged crime drama that keeps its cards close to its chest until the final act elevated by exceptional performances, confident direction, and thoughtful visual storytelling. Damon and Affleck once again prove why their partnership endures, while the film itself serves as a sobering meditation on what happens when greed is given room to grow.
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Reel Dialogue: The Danger of Greed and the Power of Integrity
As The Rip makes clear, the life of a cop can be hard. They stand on the line between civil society and chaotic anarchy, and face increasingly hostile treatment. Hit, spat on, verbally abused and underpaid, it’s no wonder that many cops turn dirty to try and make their positions a little more profitable and lives easier to live. But the illusion of wealth and greed is the lie that “If I just had enough money, my life would be simple.” Sadly, no amount of money removes the reality of sin.
Money and greed are not the cure for dissatisfaction and sorrow. Rather, integrity in all situations, including those involving temptation, is a value that stabilises lives amidst a chaotic world. Our character matters, and those who follow Jesus are called to have a Christlike character marked by integrity, love of truth, rejection of selfishness and a heart for others. Ultimately, the Gospel reminds us that no amount of money can redeem a broken heart or erase guilt. Only Christ can through His death and resurrection, deal with sin decisively. In Jesus, we are offered not the illusion of an easier life, but true freedom, forgiveness, and a restored identity that no “rip” could ever buy.
