Shane Black’s latest offering, “Play Dirty,” attempts to bring Donald E. Westlake’s beloved Parker crime novels to the big screen with a dose of his signature blunt comedy. However, this adaptation ultimately feels like a pale imitation, falling short of the director’s previous, more acclaimed works.
Mark Wahlberg takes on the role of Parker, a quiet but deadly thief. After a chaotic car chase at a horse track – a sequence that regrettably highlights the film’s superficial flair – Parker’s crew is betrayed and eliminated by a rival, Zen (portrayed by Rosa Salazar). Driven by revenge, Parker tracks down Zen, only to discover her grand plan: to pilfer a staggering billion dollars in ancient artifacts and precious jewels from a newly unearthed 15th-century shipwreck. Her unusual motive? To alleviate the plight of a starving population in an undisclosed Latin American nation.
Setting aside their initial animosity, Parker and Zen reluctantly team up, recruiting a motley crew in New York. Among them is the flamboyant Groefield, played by LaKeith Stanfield. Their mission extends beyond the daring theft; they must also outwit The Outfit, a formidable crime syndicate helmed by Lozini (Tony Shalhoub), which is already in cahoots with a corrupt president (Alejandro Edda) to illegally peddle the very artifacts they aim to steal.
(A video clip from the movie showcases some of the action and characters.)
While director Shane Black attempts to evoke the gritty, human-centric violence seen in his earlier successes like the 2005 action-comedy ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ or the 1996 action-thriller ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight,’ ‘Play Dirty’ ultimately emerges as a cynical and somewhat unpleasant experience. Mark Wahlberg’s performance as Parker feels uninspired, failing to inject the necessary charisma or humor to elevate the relentless violence beyond mere brutality. The film’s 1970s-inspired jazz score, combined with the uncomfortable contrast of Parker’s privileged position against the backdrop of desperate, impoverished Latin American characters, leaves a sour taste, suggesting this film might just be too ‘dirty’ for its own good.
‘Play Dirty’
Rated R for intense violence, pervasive strong language, and some explicit sexual content and nudity. The film has a running time of 2 hours and 5 minutes.