Samara Weaving In A Funny, Moody Crime Caper

There’s a ethical stress on the coronary heart of flicks about criminals that usually goes unstated. Specifically, the concept crime is usually not one thing to aspire to or be pleased with. This morality is basically typical knowledge and would not require being acknowledged outright, definitely not after the times of the Hays Code imposing some kind of ethical message on quite a few crime films. Most crime movies (and, finally, TV exhibits) made after the collapse of the manufacturing code took one in every of a number of approaches, reminiscent of presenting criminals within the type of a grounded character research (with depiction not essentially equalling endorsement), or as lovable underdogs who make characters (or establishments) which can be both morally simply as unhealthy or worse than they’re their targets. That is all in service of the viewers vicariously having fun with themselves, getting somewhat thrill for a pair hours about what it is likely to be like to interrupt the principles.

As such, there aren’t too many crime films that attempt to mix vicarious thrills with sober morality, for concern of presumably deflating the previous or glibly treating the latter. “Eenie Meanie,” a brand new crime caper film, is that uncommon movie which makes an attempt to encapsulate each qualities. Produced by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (“The Guys who wrote Deadpool,” as one of many posters for the movie excitedly mentions), the adverts and trailers for the film make it seem like the kind of raucous, foolish, action-packed film {that a} movie from the makers of “Zombieland” would be. But author/director Shawn Simmons has made a much more nuanced and multi-faceted movie than it initially appears.

Simmons, who’s been a author for tv for the previous 20 years and has most lately labored on the “John Wick” spin off “The Continental” and Amazon Prime’s “Wayne” (which Reese and Wernick have been writers on), approaches his first characteristic movie with a sensibility that feels akin to the films of Jim McBride or John McNaughton. As in these director’s films like “The Large Straightforward” or “Regular Life,” “Eenie Meanie” is a mix of each gritty heist film thrills and downbeat character drama. It is not a straightforward combine, and the movie would not at all times pull it off gracefully. But because of Simmons’ ambition, some unbelievable stunt work, and particularly the lead efficiency by Samara Weaving, “Eenie Meanie” finally ends up as a satisfyingly well-rounded expertise.

Whereas “Eenie Meanie” is not blazing any new trails by way of its plot or character, the way in which that Simmons arranges and presents these components is exclusive sufficient that it is tough to inform simply the place the film goes till you are deep into it. In contrast to different crime movies, nevertheless, “Eenie Meanie” is not taking part in round with chronology or standpoint, so whereas it takes a minute to return into focus, it is also very easy. After a gap flashback wherein a 14 12 months previous Edie (Elle Graham) is pressured into appearing as a getaway driver for her deadbeat, small-time criminal father (Steve Zahn), the movie jumps to the current day 15 years later, the place a now-adult Edie (Weaving) has gone straight. She’s left behind her felony previous and goes to group faculty and dealing as a financial institution teller in her dwelling metropolis of Cleveland, OH.

There’s barely any motion on this first act of the movie, one thing which Simmons is all too keen to attract our consideration to, slicing the scene abruptly when it looks like we’re about to hurry away from the cops with younger Edie or witness grownup Edie take down some thugs who rob her financial institution. Simmons is each teasing our need to get some motion in addition to treating its arrival like an ominous inevitability, the identical means that the felony life is more and more respiration down Edie’s neck. As soon as Edie discovers that she’s a number of months pregnant, she tracks down her ex, John (Karl Glusman), to inform him the information, solely to find that he is gotten himself into one more life-or-death mess, having crossed Edie’s previous boss, the crime kingpin Nico (Andy Garcia). With the intention to clear John’s debt to Nico, the crime lord faucets Edie to tug off a heist at a Toledo on line casino, whereby she’ll steal a poker event’s prize Dodge Charger with $3 million in money within the trunk. Alongside the way in which, Edie must maintain John from turning into a legal responsibility to the job, in addition to attempt to take care of their unresolved, star-crossed relationship.

“Eenie Meanie” is an motion film in a way more conventional sense than what audiences have gotten used to in a post-“John Wick” panorama. It is not wall-to-wall motion by any means, as Simmons rigorously picks the moments when the movie’s setpieces arrive. But when the movie does kick into excessive gear, it hits laborious, thanks largely to the way in which that Simmons approaches the motion from a down-to-Earth standpoint. Once more, in contrast to latest motion films like “Ballerina,” “Novocaine” or “A Working Man,” “Eenie Meanie” is not seeking to go too excessive. As a substitute, Simmons and his stunt coordinators (Keith Campbell, Nicolas Bosc, Paul Jennings and Michael B. Johnson) give the movie some gritty authenticity in its fist fights and particularly its automobile chases. The vibe is not the histrionics of “Quick X” or “Dangerous Boys II” however somewhat that of “Vanishing Point,” “Dirty Mary Crazy Larry,” and “Death Proof.”

Because of this, Simmons will get a ton of mileage out of what may in any other case be an appetizer in a wilder motion flick. A automobile flipping finish over finish is likely to be a mere garnish for the likes of Michael Bay, however in “Eenie Meanie” its a spectacle well worth the value of admission. This method to the motion is indicative of the whole movie working on an old-school stage. To be clear, “Eenie Meanie” (regardless of a few of its grindhouse-style advertising) shouldn’t be a Tarantino-esque homage, however somewhat an sincere try at making a modern-day ground-level crime movie. For motion junkies like myself, this movie is a case of high quality over amount.

One of many highlights of “Eenie Meanie” is its ensemble solid, as it’s totally clear early on that they got here to play. Andy Garcia is, in fact, a welcome presence as at all times, bringing gravitas to his mobster whereas making him believably quirky. HIs consigliere, George (Mike O’Malley), is a personality that enables the 2 actors to turn out to be a double act, which results in some nice humor and drama. It is that combination which Simmons is so clearly after, and nowhere is it seen higher than in Glusman’s efficiency as John. Glusman has a tough needle to string with this character, making him comedian reduction, romantic lead, and wild card. It is a mixture that might simply crush lesser actors, and Glusman pulls it off with aplomb.

As nice because the solid is, they can not at all times enable “Eenie Meanie” to fireplace on all cylinders always. Simmons’ Elmore Leonard-lite tone and method calls for that irreverence and sincerity concurrently share the stage, and whereas somebody like Tarantino or Paul Thomas Anderson can discover that stability, it eludes the first-time filmmaker sometimes. There’s additionally an additional little bit of twisting that includes the character of Perm (Marshawn Lynch) which does make the centerpiece heist sequence additional involving, but introduces one wild card too many to maintain the emotional grounding that Simmons has constructed. Once more, the movie does find yourself feeling structurally sound, however there are some potholes within the highway on the way in which there.

The star of “Eenie Meanie” and the rationale to see it — aside from these automobile crashes and flips, that’s — is Weaving, and she or he completely is essentially the most invaluable participant within the movie. To this point, Weaving’s movie profession has been primarily as supporting or lead characters in horror films, with the actress demonstrating a way of indigence, concern, and resilience as the largest belongings in her toolkit. All of these facets come into play in her efficiency as Edie right here, but she additionally slyly shifts her Remaining Lady chutzpah into the mode of motion lead superbly. Weaving’s equally loaded vulnerability and inner fortitude carries the movie, and helps careen it over its rougher spots. Fairly merely, the film won’t work in any respect with out her.

Finally, the largest destructive component about “Eenie Meanie” is one thing that is not its fault, which is that it’s one more unique film for adults that is being dumped onto a streaming service. The movie’s distinctive mixing of tones and reversion aesthetics are issues that make it actually stand out in a theatrical setting, and will simply enable it to fade into the background within the midst of so many different choices on streaming. Even the rating by Bobby Krlic (aka The Haxan Cloak), which sounds principally like a typical Hollywood rating till you hear nearer and begin to pick the odd steel touches to it, might flip into some type of white noise for audiences who merely put the film on within the background. A extra strong theatrical slate of yesteryear used to permit rising filmmakers the room to stretch and mess around with style in the way in which that “Eenie Meanie” does. I can solely hope that the movie makes sufficient of an impression to let Simmons make some extra intriguing experiments (and let Weaving lead some extra motion movies) as a substitute of simply leaving a small cloud of mud behind.

/Movie Ranking: 7 out of 10

“Eenie Meanie” is streaming on Hulu on August 22, 2025.