Eenie Meanie: A Scattered Heist Thriller

Eenie Meanie, for better or worse, is a throwback to a simpler time where crime capers and car chases dominated the silver screen. They were simple and they were pure, however, the ambitious feature directorial debut of Shawn Simmons has its heart in the right place but simply takes on too much in trying to be too many things for too many audiences. That being said, be it action (and the aforementioned car chases), be it comedy, or be it drama, each element has their own merits. It is their combination that leads to tonal issues, going from one to the other, that in turn leads to pacing issues and a not so coherent narrative. Had the film picked a lane and focuses its efforts on that, it would certainly have made for a more consistent watch. As a result, it has to lean heavily on the charm of its stars, Samara Weaving and Karl Glusman. To their credit, they help keep Eenie Meanie somewhat afloat with their charm and chemistry though, in the end, they could only do so much with Simmons’ flawed script. Nevertheless, it’s hard to argue that there is no entertainment here as when the film works, it works, it just won’t leave much of an impression once the credits roll.

Eenie Meanie centers around Edie (Weaving), a former teenage getaway driver in the process of reforming her life. However, one part of her past remained, a part that she could just not shake off, and that was her screwup and unreliable ex-boyfriend John (Glusman) who she still had feelings for. Because of this, she’d be pulled back into her former life when Nico (Garcia), her old boss, offers her the chance to save her ex-boyfriend in exchange for one more heist. Failing to develop Edie and John, as well as their relationship with one another, Weaving and Glusman found themselves doing much of the heavy lifting in that regard. The arc of Edie (given the codename of ‘Eenie Meanie’ in her past life) and John’s relationship may be predictable but the lack of backstory creates an implied foundation for the characters and the world that becomes difficult to invest in overall on an emotional level. From there, the narrative is basically a question of will they or won’t they survive this latest ordeal, though with a few more twists up its sleeve. Meanwhile, as other characters and other pieces came together during the planning of that last heist, the juxtaposition between Edie and John began to narrow as the situation evolved.

All standard fare in terms of the heist genre, the film’s momentum comes to a screeching halt, turning to drama as a means to try and resolve the complicated dynamic between Edie and John. A choice that feels out of place tonally, let alone with the rest of the narrative, these moments only drag the film down, more so for those not hooked by the story or characters. Had it found a way to address their dynamic outside of the context of the heist, the story would have flowed a lot better. Rushing through every stage of the story up to that point, everything along the way is hurt and rather dull to watch for the most part. The few moments that do register on the excitement scale involve well shot car chases that keep things interesting. Spending much of its time building up to the heist, albeit in a scattered way, where the film also fails is sticking the landing once all the dust is settled. Pulling from a thin foundation in trying to consolidate storylines and subplots to craft a conclusion, the film ends with a whimper that is not nearly as ‘cool’ as it thinks it is.

When it comes to Eenie Meanie, there is simply not much there there. However, what it does have is Weaving and Glusman, whose combined charm and chemistry help elevate the film into something watchable. While the narrative was scattered and thin at times, they were the constant through it all and were still somewhat compelling to watch in spite of everything else happening around them and the script not doing either any favors. As Edie, Weaving brings an energy and a tenaciousness that fits the film’s world nicely. More than battle-hardened, she could take care of herself and showed tremendous control in the face of the familiar chaos Edie found herself in. Similarly, as John, Glusman brings a complimentary energy to a flawed and nuanced character that could have easily just been the comic relief for his flaws and sleazy behavior.

At the end of the day, Eenie Meanie is a solid action thriller that succumbs to the weight of its own ambition, where Samara Weaving and Karl Glusman still shine through.

still courtesy of 20th Century Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.