‘Riff Raff’ Boasts Killer Ensemble

Filmmaker Dito Montiel took Sundance by storm in 2006 with his autobiographical examination of familial strife, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, winning the Director’s Award as well as a Special Jury Prize for its ensemble cast which included Robert Downey, Jr., Shia LaBeouf, Rosario Dawson, Dianne Wiest, Chazz Palminteri and Channing Tatum.

Since then, his output has been fairly consistent, but not very successful, critically or commercially.

With Riff Raff, written by John Pollono (Small Engine Repair), he’s, once again, working with a stellar ensemble and telling a story about a truly damaged family, this time balancing shifting tones in what could be called a comedic crime drama. And he manages to put together a wildly entertaining, if sometimes frustrating work.

Vincent (Ed Harris) has a secret former life, but is now a changed man, living with his second wife Sandy (Gabrielle Union) and her college-bound teen son, DJ (Miles J. Harvey), who narrates some of the film. DJ’s dad died in a car accident when he was a child, or so he was told. The trio seem content, that is until Vincent’s eldest son, Rocco (Lewis Pullman) bursts into their bucolic Maine cabin one night with both his eight-month pregnant fiancé, Marina (Emanuela Postacchini) and his disgruntled, drunk mother, Ruth (Jennifer Coolidge) in tow. Ruth’s entrance into the film is hilarious. And we know that something curious and potentially dangerous is afoot.

Through flashbacks we also spend time with an old buddy of Vincent’s, the initially enigmatic Lefty (Bill Murray) and his dim stooge Lonnie (Pete Davidson). They’re not very nice men.

All characters converge on New Year’s Eve as past and present secrets are revealed and lives are threatened. I won’t reveal any more as to not spoil the fun. And it is quite a ride.

Coolidge delightfully riffs on her own White-Lotus-trainwreck character. Ruth is still bitter about Vincent’s abandoning her and Rocco almost two decades ago, but she’s not above trying to have sex with him in the forest when no one is looking. Scene stealing is Coolidge’s forte and she does it with campy panache.

Murray is a wonderful psycho and Davidson matches his lunacy. I’d love to see a film about these two nutty characters and their backstory.

Pullman (Bill’s son) is an actor to watch, doing so much with so little in terms of what he’s given to play here. Ditto Postacchini.

Union has a few hilarious moments simply reacting to Coolidge.

The film’s main weakness is that the narrative centers on DJ, but he’s just not that compelling enough a character. I get where Pollono wanted to go with this. Good (educated) son vs. bad (street) son. Hero father falls from grace. What will happen when he’s put to the test? Blah-blah. Facile stuff. Regardless, everyone around DJ is far more interesting. Even Lefty’s son, Johnny (Michael Angelo Corvino), who has limited screen time, makes much more of an impression.

Riff Raff is worth seeing for its killer ensemble as well as its jolts and surprises.

The film opens in theaters nationwide this Friday, February 28, 2025.