Matt Damon and Ben Affleck team up in the new Netflix thriller about a pair of cops facing an oddly dangerous dilemma.
The Rip, which was released on Jan. 16, shows Lt. Dane Dumars (Damon) and Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne (Affleck) navigating their path carefully and wisely after finding $20 million hidden in a Miami safe house. The strange discovery, which happens shortly after the murder of a Miami police captain, only adds to the twists and turns seen throughout the film.
What is ‘The Rip’ movie about?
Dumars and Byrne are struggling to trust anybody in their circle after finding $20 million. With a shocking amount of money in their hands, the cops are forced to decide whether they should keep it or report it. The story also unfolds as a test of the partners’ friendship, as they begin to wonder whether they can even trust each other.
“As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question — including who they can rely on,” the film’s synopsis reads.
The dramatic experience takes place all in one night as the cops hastily count millions by hand due to Miami protocol requiring them to do so, per Decider. While they count the money, they get suspicious calls from anonymous voices threatening to come for the money. With time quickly running out, Dumars and Byrne count the $20 million as fast as they can while tackling a series of obstacles throughout the night.
Is ‘The Rip’ movie based on a true story?
Writer/director Joe Carnahan shared that The Rip is loosely based on the story of his friend named Chris Casiano, who’s a Miami police officer. Casiano once found $20 million hidden in a safe house. While the true story is much less dramatic, Carnahan said some of the events in the film mirror the real-life experience.
“All that stuff about counting [the money] on the seizure, on scene, is all true. You’re required to count it twice, actually, by hand,” Carnahan said in an interview with Decider.
Casiano also suspected in the real-life story that somebody might be coming to get the money while he was counting it. However, he never faced any real threats.
“Joe and I started building off of that aspect,” Casiano told Decider. “It’s suspenseful: ‘Who’s a bad guy? Are the cops dirty? Is the cartel going to show up and kill everybody? What’s going on?’”
Much like Damon’s character, who is grieving the death of his 11-year-old son in The Rip, Casiano lost his own son to cancer.
The Rip also stars Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Scott Adkins, Kyle Chandler, Néstor Carbonell and Lina Esco.