Wolfs Review: Clooney & Pitt Reunite in Lighthearted Comedy

Marking the reunion of Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Wolfs is an enjoyable action comedy that could have been truly special if only it had done something with its compelling premise.

In fact, we never learn said man’s name: even in the press notes, he’s simply referred to as Margaret’s man (George Clooney, of The Boys in the Boat). What we do know, however, is that he’s a fixer: someone who’s hired by people to take care of inconvenient or dangerous situations. Though Margaret doesn’t know him, he comes recommended from a friend; not long after she calls him on the phone, he’s at her house. But just when he’s about to tell her what to do, another man shows up (Brad Pitt, of Bullet Train) who would appear to have the same skillset as Margaret’s man – at least, according to hotel owner Pamela, who found out about what happened and hired him for the exact same job.

After some deliberation, it is decided: the two men are to work together and, as Pamela puts it, “clean this absolute f*cking colostrof*ck of a mess,” starting from the drugs they found in a backpack that belonged to “the Kid” (Austin Abrams, of Do Revenge) – a Kid who turns out to be very much alive. In a journey that takes them to new and familiar places and puts them face to face with dangerous, powerful enemies, our two fixers will also have to face the biggest challenge of all: learning to work together.

Writer-director Jon Watts (Spider-Man: No Way Home) wrote Wolfs with Brad Pitt and George Clooney in mind, and seeing them team up for a mission – for the first time since the Ocean’s trilogy (2001-2007) is the movie’s biggest draw. The two stars clearly enjoy each other’s company, and there’s palpable warmth in all their interactions that really makes their scenes together so effortless to watch. Austin Abrams is the perfect addition to the team, playing an adorably clueless yet surprisingly resourceful teenager whose great characterization makes him immediately likeable.

When it comes to Clooney and Pitt’s fixers’ character development and the overall narrative of the movie, Wolfs is a little lacking. The main issue, here, is that there isn’t much besides a promising premise. As the two team up to “do what only they can do,” it feels like a constant gag of each trying to prove that they’re better than the other, which, after a while, becomes very repetitive. This is particularly noticeable when the plot itself is so thin, which is a shame, as Wolfs could have been a really special film if only the team behind it had spent more time really thinking the story through.

There’s a really great scene in slow-motion when Margaret’s man almost runs over the Kid and he somehow manages to make it out without a scratch, in a wonderfully improbable way. On top of this, some of the film’s jokes land, and most of the action scenes are filmed in a way that keeps you engaged. If only the entire movie had been written and shot like this, it would have had much more rhythm while also giving our fixers something to do besides proving that they’re good at what they do and reminding us that they’re old.

Given the chemistry of our leads and the genuine warmth that defines their every interaction, I can’t help but think that, if one had simply told Pitt and Clooney the premise and placed them in a room to improvise, they would have probably come up with a more entertaining film. As it is, Wolfs is never not enjoyable, and fans of lighthearted comedies will be rewarded by simply getting to see the two stars together again. At the same time, it’s also a missed opportunity to deliver something truly memorable.

Wolfs had its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2024 and will be released in select US theaters on September 20, 2024. The film will be available to stream globally on Apple TV+ from September 27. Read our list of films to watch at the 2024 Venice Film Festival!