There’s a ethical rigidity on the coronary heart of films about criminals that usually goes unstated. Particularly, the concept crime is usually not one thing to aspire to or be pleased with. This morality is basically standard knowledge and does not require being said 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 reveals) 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 examine (with depiction not essentially equalling endorsement), or as lovable underdogs who make characters (or establishments) which are both morally simply as dangerous 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 may be like to interrupt the foundations.
As such, there aren’t too many crime films that attempt to mix vicarious thrills with sober morality, for concern of probably 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 advertisements and trailers for the film make it appear as if the kind of raucous, foolish, action-packed film {that a} movie from the makers of “Zombieland” could 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 had been writers on), approaches his first function 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 does not all the time pull it off gracefully. But due to 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.
Eenie Meanie takes a while to return into focus
Whereas “Eenie Meanie” is not blazing any new trails when it comes to its plot or character, the best way that Simmons arranges and presents these parts is exclusive sufficient that it is tough to inform simply the place the film goes till you are deep into it. Not like different crime movies, nevertheless, “Eenie Meanie” is not enjoying round with chronology or standpoint, so whereas it takes a minute to return into focus, it is also very simple. After a gap flashback by which a 14 yr outdated Edie (Elle Graham) is pressured into performing 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 neighborhood faculty and dealing as a financial institution teller in her residence 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 respiratory 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 outdated 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 match’s prize Dodge Charger with $3 million in money within the trunk. Alongside the best way, Edie should hold John from turning into a legal responsibility to the job, in addition to attempt to take care of their unresolved, star-crossed relationship.
The automobile stunts and motion in Eenie Meanie are refreshingly right down to Earth
“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 arduous, thanks largely to the best way that Simmons approaches the motion from a down-to-Earth standpoint. Once more, not like latest motion films like “Ballerina,” “Novocaine” or “A Working Man,” “Eenie Meanie” is not trying to go too excessive. As an alternative, 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 slightly that of “Vanishing Level,” “Soiled Mary Loopy Larry,” and “Loss of life Proof.”
For that reason, Simmons will get a ton of mileage out of what would possibly in any other case be an appetizer in a wilder motion flick. A automobile flipping finish over finish may be a mere garnish for the likes of Michael Bay, however in “Eenie Meanie” its a spectacle well worth the value of admission. This strategy to the motion is indicative of all the movie working on an old-school stage. To be clear, “Eenie Meanie” (regardless of a few of its grindhouse-style advertising) isn’t a Tarantino-esque homage, however slightly an trustworthy 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.
Eenie Meanie may be very humorous, which might undercut the movie’s drama
One of many highlights of “Eenie Meanie” is its ensemble solid, as it’s extremely clear early on that they got here to play. Andy Garcia is, after all, a welcome presence as all the time, 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 grow to be a double act, which ends up 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 unexpectedly comedian aid, 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 all the time permit “Eenie Meanie” to fireplace on all cylinders always. Simmons’ Elmore Leonard-lite tone and strategy 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 often. There’s additionally an additional little bit of twisting that entails 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 street on the best way there.
Samara Weaving proves she’s bought vary for different genres past horror
The star of “Eenie Meanie” and the rationale to see it — aside from these automobile crashes and flips, that’s — is Weaving, and he or she completely is probably the most useful participant within the movie. To date, 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 most important property in her toolkit. All of these facets come into play in her efficiency as Edie right here, but she additionally slyly shifts her Last Lady chutzpah into the mode of motion lead fantastically. Weaving’s equally loaded vulnerability and internal fortitude carries the movie, and helps careen it over its rougher spots. Fairly merely, the film may not work in any respect with out her.
Finally, the most important destructive aspect about “Eenie Meanie” is one thing that is not its fault, which is that it’s one more authentic 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 permit 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 largely like a typical Hollywood rating till you hear nearer and begin to select 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 best way 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 an alternative of simply leaving a small cloud of mud behind.
/Movie Score: 7 out of 10
“Eenie Meanie” is streaming on Hulu on August 22, 2025.
