‘Eenie Meanie’ Is A Mixed Bag, But Still Has Fun Moments – Review

Heist films are familiar territory, but Eenie Meanie manages to stand out with its unique approach, piquing the audience’s interest.

The film follows Edie (Samara Weaving), a former teenage getaway driver. Unfortunately, Edie is dragged back into the seedy underworld of her past job, a world filled with dangerous criminals and high-stakes heists, with the promise of helping her ex-boyfriend, John (Karl Glusman). Despite her best friend, Baby Girl (Kyanna Simone), reminding her that John is bad news, Edie can’t help but carry a torch for her former flame – regardless of the upheaval he’s brought to her life.

As John has a mind of his own and doesn’t seem to want to change his ways, Edie has to do more than she expected to save him from trouble, but will the cost be worth it? Well, you’ll have to watch the movie to find that out.

Karl Glusman and Samara Weaving in Eenie Meanie. — (Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

Written and directed by Shawn Simmons, Eenie Meanie doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. This is probably for the best, as some heist movies tend to lose their momentum quickly. As Simmons’ directorial debut, Eenie Meanie is a solid flick that can be a mixed bag at times. The comedic elements are effective; the car chases and action scenes are reasonably well-executed. However, the story and some of the dialogue lack a bit of depth.

The actors do the best with the script at their disposal, particularly Samara Weaving as the film’s lead. Weaving does a great job as Edie, and you can see the breadth of her emotions throughout various scenes in the movie. Whether feeling joyous at her best friend’s birthday party or feeling disappointed by John (again), Weaving does an exceptional job at conveying all the ups and downs that Edie experiences throughout the film’s entirety.

Opposite Weaving, Karl Glusman is often hilarious as John. From running away (naked) from some enemies he’s wronged to his general erratic behaviour, Glusman does a great job as John. He’s one of those characters who are hard to completely hate. Even though John continues to do foolish things throughout the movie, such as making impulsive decisions that put himself and others in danger, there is something about him that’s endearing at times. That said, by the film’s end, your patience with him (just like Edie’s) runs its course.

(Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

The lead duo, Weaving and Glusman, share a compelling chemistry that keeps the audience engaged. Whether they’re bantering about their next move or speeding down the streets, their dynamic is pitch-perfect and keeps you invested in the story.

If the trailer for the movie interested you, it’s something worth giving a try, at least for the performances. Despite the lead actors doing a great job with their characters, it isn’t enough to cement Eenie Meanie as one of the better heist films that are readily available to watch. Without delving into too much, some of the story choices were frustrating and took me out of particular moments in the movie. This lack of consistency ultimately led to the film being a mixed bag, but it still had some fun moments peppered throughout that will leave viewers mostly entertained.

While Eenie Meanie may not cater to everyone’s taste, it’s still a worthwhile watch, especially when you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home.