by Charles Kirkland Jr.
With an all-star ensemble that includes Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, Jennifer Coolidge, and Bill Murray,
Riff Raff is a pitch-black comedy about family, loyalty, and murder.
One-time criminal Vince (Harris) turned his life around when he fell in love with Sandy (Union). Nearly
20 years later, the still-happy couple are looking forward to spending a quiet New Year’s Eve in their
country home with their good-natured son, DJ (Miles J. Harvey). Then during the night, Vince’s other
son, Rocco (Lewis Pullman), shows up unannounced with his pregnant girlfriend, Marina (Emanuela
Postacchini), and Vince’s first wife, Ruth (Coolidge), in tow. It is not a happy reunion. Ruth is rude, lewd,
and randy, while Rocco is hiding something sinister from everyone. Hot on Rocco’s tail is Lefty
(Bill Murray), an aging mafioso with a score to settle and his assistant Lonnie (Pete Davidson) regarding
his son. When Lefty catches up with Vince’s teeming clan, it seems likely that blood ties will yield
blood spilled.
Riff Raff is written by John Pollono and directed by Dito Montiel. It stars some of the most talented
actors in the business with Ed Harris, Gabrielle Union, the always hilarious Jennifer Coolidge, and Bill
Murray. The cast is centered around relative newcomer Miles J. Harvey (Supercool, Roxanne Roxanne).
Harvey shows a range of playing a sheltered child that presents himself as possibly being on the spectrum
to a focused and serious man attempting to protect everyone he loves.
The movie’s great performances belong to the comedians in the film. Jennifer Coolidge is a foul-
mouthed, ex-wife with no filter. Her portrayal of Ruth is superbly mean, aggressively inappropriate, and
intoxicatingly hilarious. Every time she speaks, her voice resembles a dazed and confused cougar yet
every word commands attention if not for their shocking brusqueness, then their ridiculous
inappropriateness.
Much like Coolidge’s Ruth, Bill Murray’s performance as Lenny is essential to the movie. Murray is
nowhere near as verbose as Coolidge in his role, however, he plays the angry mob boss with an even-
tempered and downright heavy spookiness that is shocking to behold and at the same time darkly
humorous.
A performance that may be overlooked but is just as important to the movie is the work of Adam Taylor.
Taylor who worked on Black Cake and The Handmaid’s Tale underscores the movie with a soundtrack
that is equal parts goofy at times and dramatically intense during others that perfectly accentuate the
activities on the screen.
The one problem with the movie is that despite the work of the stellar cast, it seems all too familiar.
From the opening scene of the interaction between Harris and Harvey, everyone knows where this movie is
going, and after a few moments more they know why. Is it a problem that it is so predictable? Maybe.
Riff Raff is gloriously irreverent, taking a deadpan approach to both humor and violence while inserting
some hilarious surprises along the way. The movie is a fun ride even with its most grotesque moments. What it is not, is memorable. Special mention goes to Murray, who is perfect as the movie’s heavy, and Coolidge, whose singular way with words makes beautiful music of Ruth’s filthiest dialogue.
Grade: C+