In writer/director Joe Carnahan’s action thriller, The Rip, suspicions run high among the Miami police as trust begins to disintegrate, bonds are threatened, and nobody can be trusted. The film begins in the wake of the murder of Captain Jackie Velez and the ensuing, feverish investigation. Meanwhile, members of the TNT (Tactical Narcotics Team), a group of cops, led by Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Matt Damon) and Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne (Ben Affleck), receive an anonymous tip about a house with an illegal stash of cash.
Carnahan reunites Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in this taut story loosely based on true events involving real-life detective Chris Casiano. In 2016, during a home raid, Detective Casiano discovered what would become the largest cash seizure in the department’s history: $20 million hidden behind a wall, stuffed in Home Depot buckets. Although “inspired by real events,” the filmmaker takes artistic liberties such as involving drug cartels, the location of the home, and elevating the action sequences. But action junkies will be enthralled by the high-octane narrative.
THE RIP. (L to R) Teyana Taylor as Detective Numa Baptiste and Sasha Calle as Desi in The Rip. Cr. Claire Folger/Netflix © 2025.
“…group of cops, led by Lieutenant Dane Dumars and Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, receive an anonymous tip about a house with an illegal stash of cash.”
The Rip is led by an excellent cast, chiefly Affleck and Damon. They are formidable here in bringing Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne and Lieutenant Dane Dumars to life. In their 14th time sharing the screen, the duo’s chemistry is still magnetic and on full display. Catalina Sandino Moreno as Detective Salazar and R&B singer Teyana Taylor as Detective Baptiste both bring performances that infuse the right amount of suspicion and doubt. Steven Yeun as Detective Ro and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Nix round out the team well. This cast has a synergy that truly makes the audience believe they have been a unit for years.
In a world where there is no shortage of cop thrillers, The Rip is sheer popcorn entertainment from start to finish. The creative liberties taken help make the story compelling, though there are some lulls and unrealistic moments. Scenes in which extreme violence takes place and no precautions are taken afterward diminish the intensity and realism of what is otherwise a good time. With a title that refers to the “ripping off” of an illegal seizure of cash from criminals, viewers will feel anything but ripped off, especially with a payoff this big.
"…viewers will feel anything but ripped off..."
