Movie Review - Triple 9

Triple 9 ** (out of 5) (R) This crime drama can be described as dark in every respect. The theme is somewhat corrupt cops forced to be even moreso, due to leverage over them by Russian mobsters. The settings are mostly nocturnal or otherwise underlit. Much of the dialog is mumbled. There’s hardly anyone to root for in this moral abyss. Stretching the old suspension of disbelief to its limits, the gang is actually Russian Orthodox Jews, headed by a woman (Kate - no kiddin’ - Winslet!), even though neither the country nor that segment of the religion seems likely to cede authority to the females in their ranks.

We meet the dirty cops as they’re robbing a bank for Winslet. They think it’s their last gig, but that never holds true in such films. They’re compelled to break into a Homeland Security vault to get something that will free Winslet’s hubby from Russia, via Israel. Casey Affleck plays the one good cop in their midst. His dad (Woody Harrelson, in yet another sketchy-or-worse police role) is one of the high-ranking detectives on the Atlanta force. Aaron Paul, best known as Jesse in TV’s Breaking Bad, plays...wait for it...a junkie.

The film has enough elements for a gripping action tale, but falls well short of its potential. The script is muddled. The action drags, and there’s just not enough to stir empathy or adrenalin among viewers. Nice try; no cigar. (2/26/16)