Column | Long live the Hollywood bromance
The Hindu
Explore Hollywood's enduring bromances, from Damon-Affleck to De Niro-Pesci, showcasing male bonding and personal growth in film.
Joe Carnahan’s latest action thriller The Rip (on Netflix) stars Hollywood A-listers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck as Dane Dumars and J.D. Byrne, respectively — police officers in a narcotics unit in Miami.
The two begin to second-guess themselves and the motivations of their team members, after they discover upwards of $20 million in cash stashed away in a recently-deceased senior citizen’s attic. The Rip seldom tries to reinvent the trope. Its array of double-crosses, flashbacks, secret phones and well-shot action set-pieces keep the story moving along nicely.
What it focuses on instead is extracting every last bit of mileage from the chemistry between Affleck and Damon, childhood friends and long-time collaborators who burst on the scene in the late 90s with Good Will Hunting (1997), a feel-good coming-of-age drama.
In the game of paranoia that unfolds in The Rip, there are several moments where Damon and Affleck’s characters confer in private. “Hey, it’s just you and me, tell me what’s going on” or “No bullsh**, it’s just us in here,” — the duo is heard saying.
The plot too is designed to highlight the pleasures and tensions of a friendship between two middle-aged men who happen to work together — Dumars is leading the unit because the tempestuous Byrne was passed up for a promotion. Dumars lost his son to cancer a few years ago and has clearly not gotten over it yet, causing Byrne to treat him with kid gloves, at least at first. During a high-tension moment, when Byrne yells at Dumars, “Show me the tip!” (referring to an anonymous tip-off), the latter responds with a deadpan “Just the tip?”. It’s extremely male-coded humour but also, very relatable.
George Clooney and Brad Pitt in the 2001 heist drama ‘Ocean’s Eleven’.
Congress leaders from Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh unite to address BJP's failures and strengthen party organization ahead of upcoming elections.
How Divya Surepalli became Andhra Pradesh’s first licensed civilian woman skydiver
SWR announces special train services from Bengaluru to Vijayapura for Shivaratri, enhancing travel options for festival-goers.
Hockey India drops Manpreet Singh and two others from the probables list due to disciplinary issues during the South Africa tour.
Dr. S. Somanath emphasizes the shared pursuit of truth between science and spirituality at the 'Viveka Deepti' convention.
Join leading experts at the DEOSS International Conference on Dry Eye Disease in Bengaluru on January 31 to discuss advancements.
Unions express concerns over Karnataka's draft occupational safety rules, particularly regarding factory definitions and extended work hours.
The ancient grain storage tradition of Paathara in Srikakulam district is rapidly fading due to modernization and space constraints.
IOA President P.T. Usha's husband, V. Srinivasan, passes away at 67, remembered as her steadfast support throughout her career.
Flight attendant Pinky Mali's last rites held in Mumbai after her tragic death in a plane crash with Ajit Pawar.
Maharashtra launches India's first government-run menopause clinics to support women's health during menopause with comprehensive care and guidance.
The sudden demise of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP supreme Ajit Pawar has thrown Maharashtra's politics in a state of flux. The regional power equations in a turbulent political ecosystem are likely to change due to the death of a mass leader with a strong grip over administration, and acceptance across the entire party leadership. As the chequered path of succession will be discussed, throwing several names from the Pawar family and outside the Pawar family in the ring, speculations on whether his wife Sunetra Pawar will emerge as the dark horse, have also emerged. What will be the decision of the Pawar family, how will Mahayuti be shaped now, what path will the senior satraps of NCP who had accepted Ajit Pawar's leadership, take? His death has led to several unanswered questions, leaving a void in the State politics for a long time.
A massive fire engulfs forested land in Menamkulam, prompting emergency response and evacuation near vital installations.