In his second feature film, "Greedy People", distributed by Lionsgate, director Potsy Ponciroli transitions from his initial foray into the Western genre with "Old Henry" to explore the noir genre. Mike Vukadinovich crafted the screenplay for this darkly humorous crime thriller.
Rookie cop Will (Himesh Patel) has just moved to a new town with his pregnant wife Paige (Lily James). Will's boss, Captain Murphy (Uzo Aduba), partners him with townie and rogue cop Terry (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to upend law and order in their small island town. For the most part, the two are in the doldrums of boredom until a calamity of errors leads to the death of Virgina (Traci Lords), wife of shrimp company owner Wallace (Tim Blake Nelson).
Things get even crazier when they accidentally discover one million dollars at the crime scene. Naturally, the duo unwisely decides to steal the money. Still, they have no idea the community's quirky residents, including soft-in-the-head masseur Keith (Simon Rex), a killer for hires "The Irishman" (Jim Gaffigan) and "The Colombian" (Jose Yazpik), know about the money as well. While they hope to stay one step ahead of the game, the town's residents will soon learn how someone is willing to go for the almighty dollar.
"Greedy People" begins with Captain Murphy telling a story to someone and introducing Will and Paige. Early on, it is established that Will isn't an alpha male and may not be cut out for police work. This is further validated when Will meets his new partner. The initial ride-along between Will and his new partner, Terry, takes an unfortunate turn as Terry becomes preoccupied with his marital affair, leaving Will to handle a critical call independently.
This scenario sets the stage for a narrative filled with anticipated twists and turns designed to elicit moments of shock as the characters' actions grow increasingly desperate amid escalating situations. However, those familiar with Coen Brothers films may find many plot developments predictable. One notable strength of the film lies in the performances of its lead actors. Levitt and Patel successfully strike a balance between dark humor and sharp dialogue while portraying an authentic partnership that suggests impending turmoil.
The supporting cast features a range of flawed yet unlikable characters, prompting anticipation for the repercussions stemming from their poor choices. While the script does exhibit some genre shifts, it ultimately lacks coherence. A more refined rewrite might have resulted in a stronger final product.
"Greedy People" struggles to establish a clear narrative tone—oscillating between lighthearted comedy and cautionary crime tale—but remains worth recommending for fans of its talented cast.
Final Grade: C+
"Greedy People" opens in limted theaters this Friday.
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