It appears that hillbillers are making a comeback. Two of the best movies this year already touched on this kind of vibe — the amazing LaRoy, Texas and the ensemble film The Last Stop in Yuma County. Nonetheless, because of the fact that its storyline seems to drag its tone all over the place, Lionsgate’s soon-to-be underrated Greedy People might be called its very own brand of Southern noir.
Some of it works, some is perhaps too derivative. Brace yourselves for a whole lot of moving parts including certain virtually blink-and-you-miss-it cameos here and there followed by gravely serious sequences of heartfelt drama that may feel out-of-place juxtaposed to some vintage Coen brothers humor and tension This comedy-drama dynamic may make Potsy Ponciroli’s latest film, from a script by Mike Vukadinovich, feel like a knockoff take combines winning elements from different movies — but as Russell Crowe once said, “are you not entertained?”
We are; there’s plenty of fun to be had here. If the Coen brothers have broken up for good, then their cinema children will have to do. And hey, at least this new Lionsgate offering comes with a cast full of actors who can truly bring it on one stage or another – for instance one whose acting has graced some of the Coen brothers’ most memorable films: Tim Blake Nelson. But his small role in “Greedy People” leaves much more than to desire. On again off again.
First off, Greedy People perhaps could have benefitted from beginning with more bang. Instead we get to see police captain tucked away in her child’s bedroom Emmy winner Uzo Aduba does well in it but she just plays herself which is also similar to what she did in Painkiller Netflix miniseries – only worse.
The thrills do ultimately arrive in Greedy People and simply put seeing the film’s title revealed in giant block letters until 23 minutes into the feature says a lot about how fast things are going. With Aduba soon to follow, as well as co-stars Himesh Patel and Lily James, you’d think that would be enough to get the narrative rolling. Patel plays Will, a rookie cop who has come to a sleepy island town which very clearly does not look like it sees much action. And hey, that’s a good thing for the community, of course.
Almost flawlessly portrayed by Patel, the dimwitted officer has been instantly likeable in every single one of his roles back to audience darling Yesterday. However there’s something limited about Will for this UK import who is stepping up to take charge here. And again with this more finite role for Aduba although she is seen trying to whip her subordinates into shape once shit hits the fan. In other words, when Joseph Gordon-Levitt enters at some point and nails it playing older cop Terry…
It’s hilarious seeing him continuing to steal shows from Disney’s young Joseph for all those millennials out there that rooted for him in Angels in the Outfield and remain loyal through similarly commercial-friendly projects but different natures..
After those Christopher Nolan gems (Inception and The Dark Knight Rises), he seemed to lay low – but with the newly released Greedy People, Gordon-Levitt comes out guns blazing — quite literally, at certain points — as Terry, a man who’s been having a faulty moral compass for some time now; Patel’s Will becomes his partner. It doesn’t help that Will doesn’t yet fully know what cops are saying on the job leading to a home invasion gone awry where they end up with pockets of money neither expected.
Some colorful side players quickly enter the mix, allowing for seasoned performers like the aforemetioned Tim Blake Nelson and even Red Rocket star Simon Rex — who has another film hitting the masses this week, Blink Twice — to steal their scenes as shady locals who may want a piece of the mysterious cash due to their unlikely ties to its original, rightful owner. Interestingly it is rookie cop Will rather than slightly detestable Terry that got them into this mess riddled with crime in the first place since Terry only sometimes bends rules or abuses his power as an officer of law.
Terry secretly beds married women, gets coffee shops to give him free cups of joe on threat of bankruptcy; insults passersby and colleagues about disabilities. The list goes on. Yet now Terry and Will have blood on their hands—and loads of moola.
Will can’t help but spill some of these distasteful news to her ever-so-pregnant wife (Lily James) who ends up not being able to look at him without practically throwing up in her mouth again. This leads her hiring a quirky hitman (yes this is Coen-esque noir so he has to be quirky) played by Jim Gaffigan is deadpan perfection.
Additionally Ponciroli keeps things stylish with small yet delicious supporting turns throughout the entire feature which is broken up into cheeky chapters devoted each character
A quote goes with the chapter title, like, for instance, is done in Yorgos Lanthimos’ masterpiece The Favourite. Once more a number of these Greedy choices may smell of fake trying but the ensemble cast on screen ensures that it remains to be a twisted, crime filled roller coaster keeping things neat in under two hours. Why not try this hillbilly noir?
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