Review: In ‘Wolfs,’ Clooney and Pitt swap out substance for a slick, albeit forgettable bromance

As far as chemistry, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are a delight in Wolfs. But this action-comedy lazily toes the line between both genres, without ever truly committing to either. 

Sure, every Clooney-Pitt pairing restores some balance to the world, but there’s only so much two juggernauts can achieve with a plot that underestimates itself. This crime caper offers a fun, exciting, and predictable reunion, but chooses to drag itself behind the charisma of its leads.

In Wolfs, George Clooney and Brad Pitt are fixers – the men to call whenever you want a problem “taken care of.” However, they’re unaware of each other’s existence, and butt heads when they’re hired to clean up on the same job. Cue in their incessant banter, reminiscent of their time together in the Ocean’s franchise. But unlike Ocean’s, there’s not much of a supporting cast to shield us from the constant clashing between the two actors. To put it lightly, both Clooney and Pitt, while charming, become insufferable rather quickly, and that’s because there’s not enough material to work with.

Amy Ryan opens the film as the District Attorney in need of professional help, and when the two fixers show up, we bid her farewell. In the same vein, Poorna Jagannathan stars as June, the off-the-table doctor who assists the men with a medical emergency. At just under 1 hour and 48 minutes, one would expect that the combination of Pitt and Clooney are sufficient to keep things fresh. Unfortunately, the monotonous dialogue and tedious scenes overpower their witty back-and-forth as frenemies.

Thankfully, there’s room for a few breaths, as Austin Abrams succeeds in stealing a few scenes, which is a great feat considering the caliber of his co-stars. Although, spending six-minutes in your underwear being chased by Brad Pitt across town is sure to leave you hooked for the time being. Throw in a desperate two-minute monologue about wanting to feel like you belong, and Abrams just might be the backhanded star of Wolfs.

In the midst of the emptiness surrounding them, both Brad Pitt and George Clooney’s unnamed characters excel when they’re simply taking digs at each other. It’s very easy to see the actors in their roles – as two adult fixers with back problems, who still think they’re the best in the game. Perhaps the movie is holding a mirror to the veterans’ lives, as both of them once dominated theaters, but are now left with limited theatrical screenings, before settling comfortably on streaming. Regardless, while they might not move with the speed of their 2000s selves, their verbal quips prove that Clooney and Pitt still possess a star quality that won’t diminish just yet. 

So is Wolfs a vanity project? In a sense, because it’s a pretty good guess that both actors just wanted to spend some together for a while on-screen. It’s also reason enough to believe that Pitt and Clooney are not actively chasing any serious merits, but the simple accolade that they “still got it!” However, with a little extra time in the writer’s room, Wolfs really could have shone as an avenue to showcase the lighter, comedic side of both stars, especially as they trade their swift agility for a few humorous back cracking. Having found a home on Apple TV Plus, Wolfs has a fighting chance to succeed on streaming, but it’s a no-brainer that it’s the Clooney-Pitt effect that will largely contribute to this.

Behind the camera is Jon Watts, the director responsible for the billion-dollar Spider-Man reboot films. For Wolfs, he swaps bright CGI storytelling for a darker, yet incomplete tale with multiple plot holes. The writer and director’s first film since No Way Home targets a more mature audience, but misses the mark by greatly underutilizing two of Hollywood’s biggest names. Being charged with resurrecting the Hollywood bromance is no easy task, but Watts was handed the best kind of bait, but still fails to translate a tried and true bromance onto the screen. Nonetheless, Wolfs is brilliantly shot, with a juxtaposing tone that feels nostalgic, yet fresh. It’s a taste of what Watts could bring to the table post-Marvel, and shows serious promise. Although his pen needs polishing, his eye could very well be the best tool in his arsenal. 

Altogether, Wolfs leaves much to be desired, no matter how much of a visual feast the Clooney-Pitt duo is on screen. With the number of celebrated movies between them, Wolfs will ultimately be lost in the catalogs of these two Hollywood titans. And while a sequel has already been confirmed, it’s going to take a lot more than their appealing gray stubbles, and Sade’s “Smooth Criminal” in the background, to keep viewers entertained.