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A genre as old as cinema itself, the ensemble picture lives and dies by its cast. Whereas some movies may get by based on a high-concept premise or blockbuster visuals, ensemble films are an entirely different beast. Like a well-oiled machine that requires each of its parts to operate in perfect unison with all of the others, they provide an equal-opportunity platform for actors, never singling out any one in particular, but instead allowing each to contribute their individual talents to the whole. And with Riff Raff, director Dito Montiel is offering up his take on the genre, in this darkly comedic crime thriller about one family’s messy entanglements with the vengeful and violent ghosts of their past. Vincent Gauttier (Ed Harris) is a former contract killer who quit his life of crime after meeting his current wife, Sandy (Gabrielle Union). However, when Vincent's grown son, Rocco (Lewis Pullman), shows up at his doorstep one day with his pregnant girlfriend, Marina (Emanuela Postacchini) and Vincent's foul-mouthed ex-wife, Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge), in tow, Vincent immediately — and rightly — suspects that something is wrong. Now living in an upscale mansion in Yarmouth, Maine with Sandy and her college-bound son, DJ (Miles J. Harvey), Vincent thought he left his old family behind in New Jersey long ago. Unfortunately for him, life has a way of coming full circle; and thanks to one reckless act of bad judgment on the part of Rocco, Vincent and his new family are about to be paid a visit by his former partner in crime, Lonnie (Bill Murray). With his new partner, Leftie (Pete Davidson), by his side, Lonnie has embarked on a mission of revenge by way of seven-hour car ride — and he won't stop until Rocco, Vincent and Ruth are dead. But will Lonnie get the satisfaction of putting a bullet in their heads, or will Vincent's two families set aside their differences and turn the tables on their would-be assassins? Written by John Pollono, what follows is a wickedly funny and impeccably cast tale that takes the crime caper and mashes it up with the dysfunctional family dramedy. What sets the result apart from other movies of a similar ilk, however, isn't its hybrid cinematic aesthetic, but rather Montiel's ability to make the events unfolding on screen feel relatable, despite the ridiculous circumstances his characters invariably find themselves in. It's an invaluable quality, and it's ultimately what makes Riff Raff such a reputable ensemble comedy. |
Riff Raff screens under the Special Presentations programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 43 min.
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