Play Dirty (2025)

The latest adaptation of Donald E. Westlake’s Parker character, Play Dirty, has arrived, with Shane Black (of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys fame) directing and Amazon Prime funding. This film is an original story, not directly based on any specific Parker novel.

The character has a storied history on screen, though the official and unofficial takes have varied widely:

• Point Blank (1967): The original, starring Lee Marvin as the no-nonsense “Walker.” This is a classic, dark, and highly influential adult thriller—a must-watch.
• Mise à sac (1967): arrived in France with Michel Constantin in the Parker role based off the Parker novel The Score.
• The Split (1968): Sees Jim Brown play “McClain” based off the Parker novel The Seventh.
• The Outfit (1973): This retains the title of the original novel, however, Robert Duvall plays Earl Macklin in place of the Parker character.
• Slayground (1983): Peter Coyote plays Stone in this adaption of the the Parker novel. Look for an early appearance by the fantastic Kelli Maroney.
• Payback (1999): Mel Gibson plays “Porter” in this loose adaptation, a gritty and slyly witty take on the Parker universe, focused on his revenge against “The Outfit.” Both the theatrical and director’s cuts are solid entertainment.
• How I Spent My Summer Vacation (2012): While rarely included, this film—also starring Gibson as “The Driver”—feels like a spiritual sequel to Payback, featuring a prison break and a quest for revenge. Not based on any novels, I just like to throw it in.
• Parker (2013): A straightforward, by-the-numbers thriller starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez. It’s a competent film but lacks the distinct edge of the better Parker outings.

The biggest talking point is the casting of Mark Wahlberg as Parker. Wahlberg, who recently played the similar role of Spenser, is a surprising choice due to his distinctly less grizzled voice compared to his predecessors. This is a noticeable shift, akin to Tom Cruise playing Jack Reacher.

Wahlberg’s Parker leans heavily into the film’s comedic tone, often joking with his crew, which feels un-Parker-like and more generic action hero. However, Parker’s signature cold side and heavy reliance on his pistol appear multiple times, injecting a welcome layer of intense violence that separates it from standard action fare.

Play Dirty is essentially a heist movie at its core, and its most entertaining section is a mid-film caper. The crew is forced to execute their carefully plotted heist 24 hours early while severely hungover from a massive party. This creates a chain of escalating, on-the-fly complications that are improbable but joyfully entertaining.

The action sequences, while not the thrilling set-pieces found in other blockbusters, are fast, fun, and novel, often dropping in for the smallest of reasons. However, there is a heavy and sometimes unconvincing reliance on CGI. As an Amazon Prime production, the effects are decent, but you won’t find the practical staging of an early ’90s action film.

The film suffers from plot overreach when it comes to twists. A nice, simple early twist is overshadowed by an unnecessary second one tacked on later.

More complex is the fate of the central MacGuffin, a valuable national treasure from a South American country. Its demise feels pointless, and the resolution lacks satisfying preservation. A brief, last-minute financial aid to the South American country is thrown in as an afterthought, attempting (and failing) to make the film’s morally gray thieves look better.

The supporting cast is strong. Tony Shalhoub is excellent as the main villain, a believably likable kingpin with simmering violent tendencies. There are a few cameos from Shane Black’s earlier works, notably Thomas Jane, who has a small but important role. One might argue Jane, having played similar tough-guy roles (like The Punisher), would have been a great choice for Parker, but that would contradict the more commercially safe casting of Wahlberg.

Play Dirty firmly sits in the mold of Black’s action comedies like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Nice Guys. While it’s arguably the least of the three, it’s still an entertaining outing that makes for a solid Friday or Saturday night in.

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The artwork for Play Dirty is dull as dirty dish water. Here’s hoping when it hits physical media it will get a refresh. Note that Mark Walberg has a gun in main poster. Something James Bond isn’t allowed to carry on Amazon.