Shane Black’s new movie, Play Dirty, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as Parker, a professional thief from Donald E. Westlake’s famous book series. While the movie delivers the kind of snappy dialogue and over-the-top action that Black is known for, many critics feel it is held back by a messy plot and a central performance from Wahlberg that lacks spark.
The action-comedy, which also features LaKeith Stanfield and Rosa Salazar, tries to be a clever heist film but often gets lost in its own complicated twists. It has quickly become a popular watch on streaming, but reviews are mixed, making it a divisive movie for fans and critics alike.
What Is Play Dirty About?
Play Dirty is based on the “Parker” series of crime novels written by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark. The story follows the tough and resourceful thief Parker, who is double-crossed after a racetrack robbery goes wrong.
The film opens with a chaotic heist at a horse track, where Parker and his crew are betrayed by a new member, Zen, played by Rosa Salazar. Left for dead, Parker seeks revenge and gets pulled into a much bigger score. He teams up with a new crew, including the scene-stealing Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield), to steal a priceless treasure from a sunken Spanish ship. Their plan involves outsmarting both a corrupt Latin American dictator and a powerful New York crime syndicate known as “The Outfit.”
Shane Black’s Signature Style Returns
Director and co-writer Shane Black is famous for action classics like Lethal Weapon and The Nice Guys. Play Dirty marks his return to the genre, and his trademark style is all over the film.
The movie is packed with the kind of witty banter and violent, cartoonish action that defines Black’s work. One critic described it as “less a story and more a pageant of different types of bloodshed.” From a derailed subway train to people being thrown off buildings, the action is relentless and deliberately over-the-top.
“I’ve been absolutely blessed to work with some of the ‘magic people,’” said Shane Black in an interview, discussing his experience directing major stars. He praised Mark Wahlberg’s preparedness, noting, “Mark showed up having memorized the script. He knew every nuance of it.”
A standout sequence is the opening racetrack robbery, which spills onto the track during a live horse race, causing cars and jockeys to fly through the air in a spectacle of destruction that sets the film’s chaotic tone.
How Are the Performances?
The cast of Play Dirty is filled with talented actors, but the reception to their performances is uneven.
- Mark Wahlberg as Parker: Many critics point to Wahlberg as the film’s weak link. While he looks the part of a professional thief, his performance is often described as lacking the danger and charisma needed for the role. One review stated he seems like the “least compelling actor in any given scene.”
- LaKeith Stanfield as Grofield: Stanfield is widely praised as the movie’s highlight. He plays a thief who uses his earnings to fund a struggling theater company, and he steals nearly every scene he’s in with his playful and magnetic performance.
- Rosa Salazar as Zen: Salazar brings fire and physicality to her role as a freedom fighter, making her character compelling and giving the film much-needed urgency.
- Supporting Cast: Actors like Keegan-Michael Key, Tony Shalhoub, and Nat Wolff provide solid support and comic relief, though their characters sometimes get lost in the film’s convoluted plot.
What Do Critics and Audiences Say?
The critical response to Play Dirty has been decidedly mixed. On the review site Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a rating of 54% from critics. Audience scores are similarly divided.
Many critics agree that the film is entertaining if you don’t think about it too much. It’s being called a “throwback” to the macho action comedies of the 1980s and ’90s.
“Play Dirty is a return to the jokey banter and ludicrous action theatrics that established his reputation in the first place,” wrote one reviewer, who found the film’s “stupidity” to be entertaining.
However, other reviews were less kind. A common complaint is that the plot is overly complicated, with too many double-crosses that make the story hard to follow. The film’s visual effects, particularly in large action scenes, have also been criticized for looking artificial and weightless, partly because the movie was shot entirely in Australia but is set in New York.
How Is It Doing on Streaming?
Despite the mixed reviews, Play Dirty has found an audience. Shortly after its release on October 1, 2025, it climbed to the number one spot on Prime Video in the United States, beating out other action movies like A Working Man and Burner. Its success shows that there is still an appetite for this kind of old-school action film.
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