Mark Wahlberg is back with another action-packed crime thriller on Prime Video. But, even though the actor might be a fan favorite in the genre, his new movie, Play Dirty, isn’t one of his best… at least, according to the critics. The new movie is now streaming on Prime Video, and the critics have had their say. Despite the film’s all-star cast and being directed by The Nice Guys‘ Shane Black, Play Dirty might need to pull some dirty tricks of its own to be a success.
The critics’ reviews for Play Dirty are in, and Shane Black and Mark Wahlberg’s new movie currently sits at a measly 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. Usually, a score like that means that some critics hated the film, while others thought it was passable. But the divide within the critical circle appears to be vast. Those who disliked Play Dirty really disliked it, while those who enjoyed Mark Wahlberg’s new action film thought it was the best thing since sliced bread (is sliced bread really that good?). Let’s dive into the reviews…
“Wahlberg is the right fit for Black’s machine gun-style of buddy comedy, and paired with scene-stealing co-star LaKeith Stanfield, the film has just enough juice to overlook its narrative incoherence,” wrote Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics. Nate Richard of Collider also enjoyed Play Dirty, writing, “The latest action-comedy from Shan Black proves that he’s still capable of delivering an equal parts funny and action-heavy comedy with all the trademarks that make us love him as a filmmaker.” Alongside Mark Wahlberg, Play Dirty also stars LaKeith Steinfeld, Rosa Salazar, Tony Shalhoub, Keegan-Michael Key, Yvonne Zima, Dermot Mulroney, and none other than Robert Downey Jr. The official synopsis reads:
“An expert thief rolls out the biggest heist of his life in Play Dirty, an action-packed thriller from director Shane Black. Parker (Mark Wahlberg), along with Grofield (LaKeith Stanfield), Zen (Rosa Salazar) and a skilled crew, stumble onto a score that pits them against the New York mob in this gritty, clever caper.”
Why Some Critics Hate ‘Play Dirty’
To many, Play Dirty is another Mark Wahlberg doing Mark Wahlberg things action thriller, as William Bibbiani of The Wrap so delicately puts it, “Mark Wahlberg Mark Wahlbergs, all Mark Wahlbergily. He’s a comforting presence in a movie where his job was to intimidate.” But many critics are disappointed by the apparent downgrade from The Nice Guys to Play Dirty. “Play Dirty had the pieces to be a sharp, morally twisted Shane Black caper, but instead it feels like someone else imitating him with half the wit and none of the bite,” wrote Sreeju Sudakaran of LatestLY.
Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth was even more scathing in their review, as they said, “The conceit of robbers robbing robbers feels both half-baked and primarily used for cheap jokes rather than serving as the basis for a truly fresh crime caper. It’s also disappointingly lacking in personality, showing Shane Black has lost a step.” Play Dirty is now streaming on Prime Video.
- Release Date
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October 1, 2025
- Runtime
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125 Minutes
- Writers
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Donald E. Westlake, Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi
