Netflix’s latest heavy-hitter, The Rip, has quickly climbed to the top of the global charts, fueled by the undeniable chemistry of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
Directed by Joe Carnahan, the film operates like a pressure cooker, trapping a tactical narcotics team (TNT) inside a suburban Miami house with $20 million in cartel cash. While the premise, cops finding more money than they can handle, feels like a classic genre trope, the execution is a jagged, cynical look at institutional rot and the “cannibalism” of the badge.
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A “Rip” That Cuts Both Ways: The Review
Joe Carnahan has always specialized in high-velocity, hyper-masculine cinema, and The Rip is no exception. The film avoids the glossy, sterilized look of many streaming originals, opting instead for a gritty, handheld aesthetic that mirrors the fraying nerves of its protagonists.
What Works:
- Damon and Affleck: Their decades of real-world friendship translate into a screen presence that feels lived-in. They don’t need long monologues to establish trust; a look or a sarcastic jab does the work.
- The Pacing: Once the team enters the house in Hialeah, the “Miami Protocol”,the requirement to count large sums of cash on-site, becomes a brilliant narrative device to keep everyone trapped.
What Doesn’t:
- Exposition Heavy: Interestingly, Matt Damon recently noted in an interview that streaming platforms often request “simpler” dialogue for multi-tasking viewers. At times, the film falls into this trap, over-explaining plot points that were already clear.
Overall, the movie is a muscular thriller that values tension over mindless explosions.
The Rip Ending Explained: Who Was the Mole?
The central question driving the film’s final act is the identity of the killer of Captain Jackie Velez. The “Rip” was never just a routine seizure; it was a complex sting operation designed by Jackie before her death.
As Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Damon) and JD (Affleck) eventually realize, the $20 million in the attic was “bait.” Jackie knew there was a “heist team” of corrupt officers, led by DEA agent Matty Nix (Kyle Chandler) and the TNT’s own Mike Ro (Steven Yeun), who were hitting cartel stashes.
The Phone Book Twist
In the climax, it’s revealed that Dumars wasn’t stealing the money; he was luring the traitors. He swapped the real cash for stacks of old phone books hoarded by the house’s owner, Desi’s grandmother. While Mike Ro and Matty Nix thought they were escaping with the loot, the real $20.6 million was already being secured by the FBI.
The film ends on a bittersweet note: Mike is arrested, Matty is killed in a car chase, and the team watches the sunrise, a symbol of the “one more day” mentality Jackie lived by.
The Heartbreaking True Story: Who is Jake?
If you stayed for the credits, you saw a dedication: “In loving memory of Jake William Casiano.” This isn’t just a name; it’s the soul of the film.
The Rip is loosely based on the life of Chris Casiano, a real Miami-Dade narcotics officer and friend of Joe Carnahan. In 2016, Casiano’s team actually discovered $24 million hidden in “orange buckets” behind a wall in a Miami Lakes home.
However, the character of Dane Dumars (Damon) was rewritten after Casiano’s real-life son, Jake, passed away from cancer at age 11 in 2021. The tattoos on Dumars’ hands and his grief over a lost child are direct tributes to Casiano’s personal tragedy, elevating the movie from a standard heist flick to a deeply personal meditation on loss.
What is a “Rip”?
In law enforcement parlance, a “Rip” is a tactical seizure of contraband or currency. Unlike a long-term investigation, a rip is a fast, aggressive strike. The title highlights the “theft-like” nature of these operations; when $20 million is on the table, the temptation to “rip” the money for oneself becomes the ultimate purity test.
Key Details at a Glance
- Release Date: January 16, 2026 (Netflix Global).
- Director: Joe Carnahan (The Grey).
- Lead Cast: Matt Damon (Lt. Dane Dumars) and Ben Affleck (Sgt. JD Byrne).
- True Story Connection: Inspired by real-life Miami officer Chris Casiano and a record-breaking 2016 cash seizure.
- In Memoriam: Dedicated to Jake William Casiano (2010–2021).
