THE STORY – In this darkly comedic crime thriller, rookie cop Will and his rogue partner Terry upend their small island town when they accidentally discover one million dollars at a crime scene – of their own making.
THE CAST – Himesh Patel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily James, Tim Blake Nelson, Traci Lords, Joey Lauren Adams, Uzo Aduba, Jim Gaffigan, Simon Rex, Nina Arianda & José María Yazpik
THE TEAM – Potsy Ponciroli (Director) & Mike Vukadinovich (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 112 Minutes
Dark comedy is tough. It’s a difficult genre for filmmakers to get right, and it’s intentionally tricky for audiences to take in. “Greedy People,” the new film from director Potsy Ponciroli, weaves a tale of avarice and violence with a decidedly sardonic edge. And, while the talented cast turns in admirable, tonally correct work, the film itself never entirely comes together with a declarative purpose outside of inspiring occasional laughs – which may be enough for some viewers.
The ensemble film is centered on Will (Himesh Patel), a cop who moves to the peaceful city of Providence with his very pregnant wife, Paige (Lily James). The movie opens with his first day on the job, where he’s paired up with an obnoxious officer named Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Despite the ease of the job, Will quickly finds himself in hot water when an accidental misreading of a 911 call ends in disaster. Things get even more complicated when he and Terry discover a suspicious pile of money at the crime scene, causing them to put aside their morals in the face of unexpected wealth. Of course, this only leads to things becoming increasingly convoluted as they try to deflect suspicion.
The cast list boasts an impressive array of respectable actors, all delivering fantastic performances, regardless of their screen time. Patel leads the film with a likable, often pitiable energy, which is necessary to keep the audience invested in his story despite his quick turn into disrepute. James is right by his side, and even when she’s not fully aware of Will’s misdeeds, Paige’s steadfastness and willingness to trust him is made fully understandable by James’ natural magnetism. She has been one of our most reliably charming actors for years, and here, her screen presence makes her the heart of the movie. She’s the true brains of her household, and James brings depth to what seems, at first, like a fairly shallow character, previewing just how involved in the plot she will eventually become without fully showing her hand too early.
Gordon-Levitt, normally the personification of charisma, plays his most irritating character since “Don Jon.” But, somehow, he never feels like a nuisance to the audience. He’s brash, rude, and scummy, but Gordon-Levitt manages to make him compelling to watch. He gives a fully committed performance, never undercutting his character’s personality with any level of judgment, despite how easy that would be with such a despicable character. And, although she has minimal time on-screen, Uzo Aduba is a welcome moral compass in the fog of degradation created by the personalities around her. She plays the local police chief, Murphy, with a level of gentle agreeability that’s all too welcome in a film otherwise saturated with ill intent and deviousness. Character actors Tim Blake Nelson and Nina Arianda round out the cast with reliably funny and well-conceived performances.
The plot essentially begins with an act of police brutality played for absurd laughs, seemingly reveling in the shock value that such a moment inspires. It’s an odd way to begin the movie, as the filmmaker is essentially taking a bet that the audience will stick with the film after such an upsetting scene. This glib tone lies underneath most of the film. It’s even fully commented upon during a conversation between James and a criminal played by Jim Gaffigan, where he opines the near-impossibility of trying to be a good person in a corrupt world. Such gleeful nihilism can be challenging for some to swallow, this critic included. Still, there are laughs to be found throughout if one is willing to lean into the screenplay’s bleakness.
“Greedy People,” as the title indicates, is filled with unpleasant characters brought to life by a talented group of actors fully invested in their roles. In fact, they’re so good that they may be reason enough to watch despite the film’s seemingly intentional lack of purpose. Pitch-black humor and a grim tone can be perversely enjoyable, but it’s mostly tiring here.
