'The Rip' Review: Matt Damon and Ben Affleck Reunite for Gritty Netflix Crime Thriller

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have done it again. The lifelong friends and collaborators reunite on screen in "The Rip," a gritty crime thriller now streaming on Netflix that critics are calling their most compelling team-up since "Good Will Hunting." Directed by Joe Carnahan ("Narc," "Copshop"), the film has earned an 83% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is quickly becoming one of Netflix's biggest January releases.

The Plot: Miami Vice Meets Heat

Inspired by true events, "The Rip" follows a team of Miami-Dade narcotics officers who discover millions in cash at a derelict stash house. As The Hollywood Reporter describes, "trust among the team begins to fray" as outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, and "everything is called into question — including who they can rely on."

Carnahan Channels Michael Mann

Writer-director Joe Carnahan bows at the altar of Michael Mann in "The Rip," from the foreboding Miami nightscapes to a pulsing synth score by Clinton Shorter that echoes the tense atmosphere of classics like "Thief" and "Heat." The Hollywood Reporter notes that "while his new film doesn't reshape the mold, an ace cast led by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck and twisty plotting that bristles with paranoia and mistrust make it an entertaining watch."

Critics Embrace the Dark Tone

RogerEbert.com calls it "the rare Netflix original action film that actually plays like something you'd want to see in theaters." The review praises how "BFFs Matt Damon and Ben Affleck lean into their age a bit more than usual to play world-weary Miami cops faced with the allure of corruption."

Esquire was particularly enthusiastic: "I love that it's so dark and seedy. I love that it's another Matt Damon/Ben Affleck joint. I love that it's about crooked, shitty cops who backstab other crooked, shitty cops."

Star-Studded Supporting Cast

The film also features standout performances from Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor (fresh off her 2026 Golden Globe win), Sasha Calle, and Kyle Chandler. At just under two hours and rated R, "The Rip" delivers exactly what fans of classic crime cinema have been craving.

The Affleck-Damon Chemistry

The Rotten Tomatoes consensus reads: "Leveraging Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's classic chemistry to texturize a friendship tested by greed, The Rip tears into its potboiler setup with compulsively watchable confidence." For fans of the duo's previous collaborations, this grim but gripping thriller is essential viewing.