Fri Mar 07 05:10:00 UTC 2025: ## “Riff Raff” Fails to Live Up to its Potential: A Star-Studded Cast Can’t Save This Clumsy Crime Comedy
**NEW YORK, NY** – Dito Montiel’s new film, “Riff Raff,” boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Jennifer Coolidge, Ed Harris, Bill Murray, and Pete Davidson, yet fails to deliver a cohesive or original cinematic experience. While the film initially hints at the inventiveness seen in Montiel’s earlier work, “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” it quickly devolves into a predictable and uneven blend of crime thriller and comedy.
The story follows DJ (Miles J. Harvey), a young man on the verge of attending Dartmouth, whose life takes an unexpected turn when he holds his stepfather (Harris) at gunpoint. Through flashbacks, the audience unravels a complex family mystery involving DJ’s stepbrother Rocco (Lewis Pullman), his pregnant girlfriend Marina (Emanuela Postaccihini), and two quirky gangsters played by Davidson and Murray.
While the film features well-executed flashbacks that provide context to the present-day narrative, its strengths are undermined by a chaotic screenplay and a jarring tonal shift between dark comedy and serious thriller. The Maine setting and holiday season backdrop are underutilized, resulting in a lack of specificity and atmosphere. The performances, though featuring recognizable talent, feel phoned-in, relying heavily on established character archetypes. The film’s climax, a violent finale, feels unearned and its subsequent comforting conclusion jarringly abrupt.
Critic Tomris Laffly of the New York Film Critics Circle notes that “Riff Raff” ultimately fails to live up to the potential of its premise and cast, offering neither a satisfying dark comedy nor a compelling crime thriller. Despite the intriguing setup and glimpses of promise, the film ultimately falls short of the high-caliber genre films it attempts to emulate.
First Piper 