No Sudden Move (2021)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Screenwriter: Ed Solomon
Starring: Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Kieran Culkin, David Harbour, Brendan Fraser, Ray Liotta, Jon Hamm
Steven Soderbergh’s relationship with crime and heist cinema is long-standing and diverse. Beyond the famously slick ensemble of the Ocean’s films, Soderbergh has explored criminal worlds in films like Out of Sight, The Limey and the more playful Logan Lucky. No Sudden Move continues this lineage, delivering a tightly crafted 1950s-set thriller that blends character-driven tension with period texture. Featuring a formidable cast that includes Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, Kieran Culkin, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, David Harbour and Brendan Fraser, it exemplifies Soderbergh’s continued versatility and assured directorial hand.
No Sudden Move tells the story of a small crew hired for what appears to be a simple blackmail job that quickly spirals into chaos. Curt Goynes (Don Cheadle), Ronald Russo (Benicio Del Toro) and Charley (Kieran Culkin) are contracted to intimidate and extort money from Matt Wertz (David Harbour). What begins as a straightforward score becomes a complicated and often brutal game of cat and mouse, pulling in law enforcement and exposing deep social tensions. Jon Hamm introduces a hard-edged detective element as Joe Finney, drawing the police into an increasingly dangerous web.
The film’s plot is deliberately layered and occasionally circuitous, requiring attentive viewing to unpack the motives and shifting loyalties of its characters. Soderbergh resists easy genre conventions, allowing character detail and moral ambiguity to drive the narrative rather than relying on formulaic twists. This approach means the film rewards repeat viewings: subtleties in dialogue and small performance choices reveal new context on subsequent watches, making it a richer experience over time.
One of No Sudden Move’s greatest strengths is its ensemble. Benicio Del Toro and Don Cheadle form an engaging, odd-couple partnership that anchors much of the story. Their interplay—marked by wit, tension and a fragile camaraderie—provides emotional ballast and forward momentum. With so many high-profile performers on board, some actors by necessity occupy smaller but effective roles; Jon Hamm and Ray Liotta deliver concise, memorable turns that add texture, while Brendan Fraser turns in a standout performance during a notable comeback moment that adds genuine warmth and humanity to the proceedings.
The 1950s Detroit setting elevates the film beyond a straightforward crime story. Production design and costume work are attentive to period detail, from tailored suits to the era’s vehicles, giving the film an authentic, lived-in atmosphere. The narrative also weaves in the automotive industry’s influence and rivalries, grounding the plot in real social and economic tensions of the time. This textured backdrop enriches character motivations and amplifies the film’s themes, particularly those surrounding class, labor and race.
Ed Solomon’s screenplay balances dark humor with moral complexity, and Soderbergh’s restrained direction allows both to coexist naturally. There is an undercurrent of social commentary—racial dynamics and the uneasy alliances between characters of different walks of life—that keeps the film feeling relevant despite its period setting. At moments the film demonstrates a tonal kinship with the Coen brothers’ idiosyncratic crime stories: measured pacing, an emphasis on character quirks, and an appetite for ironic twists.
No Sudden Move marks another strong entry in Soderbergh’s post-retirement phase, reinforcing his ability to return to familiar territory with renewed energy. While it may not reach the crowd-pleasing heights of Ocean’s Eleven or the full charm of Logan Lucky, it succeeds on its own terms as a clever, densely plotted thriller. The film is slightly overstuffed at times, but that richness is also part of its appeal: a labyrinthine plot populated by fully realized characters, surprising turns and sly observations on power and greed.
19/24