Reptile Rating

Reptile

Black Label Media

Netflix

My Rating 

6/10

#whatonwhatsgood Fan Club Rating 

64%

Release dates

September 7, 2023 (TIFF)

September 22, 2023

September 29, 2023 (Netflix)

Description

Following the brutal murder of a young real estate agent, a hardened detective attempts to uncover the truth in a case where nothing is as it seems, and by doing so dismantles the illusions in his own life

Running time

136 minutes

Directed by

Grant Singer

Screenplay by

Grant Singer, Benjamin Brewer, and Benicio del Toro

Story by

Grant Singer and Benjamin Brewer

Produced by

Molly Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill

Starring

Benicio del Toro as Detective Tom Nichols

Justin Timberlake as Will Grady, the victim's boyfriend

Alicia Silverstone as Judy Nichols, Tom's wife

Eric Bogosian as Captain Robert Allen, Nichols's boss

Ato Essandoh as Detective Dan Cleary, Tom's partner

Domenick Lombardozzi as Wally

Michael Pitt as Eli Phillips, a suspect

Karl Glusman as Sam Gifford, the victim's ex-husband

Matilda Lutz as Summer Elswick

Mike Pniewski as Chief Marty Graeber

Thad Luckinbill as Peter

Sky Ferreira as Renee, the victim's best friend

Owen Teague as Rudy Rackozy

Frances Fisher as Camille Grady

Catherine Dyer as Deena Allen

James Devoti as Bennett Rosoff

Michael Beasley as Victor

Cinematography

Mike Gioulakis

Edited by

Kevin Hickman

Music by

Yair Elazar Glotman

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT FROM GRANT SINGER

Seven days before my sixth birthday my uncle was murdered. It was then when I became distinctly aware that anything can happen at any moment. I believe that my fascination in stories where truth is elusive and facts remain unanswered stems from that tragedy in my family.

How do you make a film where the feeling you’re trying to evoke is ‘not knowing’? Audiences want to feel satisfied, and rightfully so. But arguably the mysteries that are most resonant and lasting are the most hidden. This film began with a desire to capture a feeling of being deceived. I wanted to instill that deception both in the story’s construction, where characters are introduced as one thing and revealed to be something else, and in the experiences of the characters themselves. There is a sense of unease, where the suspense comes from not knowing where the story is leading you.

In America, we are fascinated with violent crime. We often prefer clean narratives, yet in reality there is more ambiguity than we are comfortable admitting. The people that are tasked with solving these crimes are regular people with the same flaws, desires, and weaknesses as everyone else. Reptile questions our inherent trust in authority and examines the human capacity for evil. After all, good people can do bad things.

BENICIO DEL TORO (NICHOLS) discusses the script

I liked the unpredictability. There were a couple of what I like to call “oh, sh*t” moments that also compelled me to get involved. And how the story reflects Nichols’s interior world.

JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE (WILL) discusses what stood when he read the script

I was intrigued by the idea that there are so many layers to the characters. It was really crafted in a way that kept me turning the page. It's rare that you read something that can feel so suspenseful and uncomfortable in a good way. At the same time, I wanted to get to the end as quickly as possible – just like a good book or suspenseful novel. When I first read it, I did not read it with a character in mind for myself. I think Grant had Will in mind for me, but I didn't. I knew Benicio was playing Nichols, and he is one of my favorite actors and we've been friends for a while. My favorite actors can say so much without moving a muscle, and he's made a legendary career out of that.

SILVERSTONE (JUDY) discusses what was so appealing about the script

Grant came up with a great story that really grabbed me. I thought it was a very compelling mystery and I was completely drawn in. I could also feel Benicio’s influence – he and I worked together 26 years ago on Excess Baggage, and we were in the trenches together – and I could hear his voice in the script as well, which I loved.