Role Play
Release poster
Directed byThomas Vincent
Written bySeth Owen
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyMaxime Alexandre
Edited byGareth C. Scales
Music byRael Jones
Production
companies
Distributed byAmazon MGM Studios
Release date
  • January 12, 2024 (2024-01-12)
Running time
101 minutes[2]
Countries
  • United States
  • France
  • Germany[3]
LanguageEnglish

Role Play is a 2024 action comedy film directed by Thomas Vincent, written by Seth Owen, produced by Andrew Rona and Kaley Cuoco. The film stars Cuoco, David Oyelowo, Rudi Dharmalingam, Connie Nielsen, and Bill Nighy.

Role Play was released by Amazon MGM Studios via Prime Video on January 12, 2024.

Plot

Emma (Cuoco) is an internationally wanted contract killer, living under a false name in suburban New Jersey and married for 7 years to Dave (Oyelowo). Their attempt at role-play in a New York hotel on their wedding anniversary for the purpose of "spicing the marriage up" goes awry when Emma is recognised by another assassin for hire, Bob Kitterman (Nighy). Kitterman dies in a scuffle with Emma when he tries to blackmail her - Emma goes on the run and flies out to Berlin to meet with her handler Raj (Dharmalingam) who resides there - and NYPD and FBI come to Dave for help with tracking her down. Dave flies to Berlin to find out what’s going on. He and Emma meet up and they are kidnapped. Their children are kidnapped from the USA and brought to a secret location by Gwen. Emma kills Gwen and all of the assassins. They escape and drive off.

Cast

Production

In July 2020, it was announced that StudioCanal and The Picture Company had acquired Role Play, a thriller spec script written by Seth Owen, based on an original idea by George Heller, to be produced by Alex Heineman and Andrew Rona.[4] In July 2021, it was announced that Kaley Cuoco was in negotiations to star in the film, as well as produce alongside Heineman and Rona.[5] In October 2021, it was reported that Thomas Vincent would direct the film, and Cuoco's roles as actor and producer were also confirmed;[6] Cuoco would be producing though under her banner Yes, Norman Productions.[1]

In June 2022, it was announced that David Oyelowo was cast as Cuoco's character's husband,[7] and Billy Bob Thornton was cast as a "mysterious stranger who encounters the couple".[8] In July 2022, it was announced that Bill Nighy had replaced Thornton, who had to leave the film due to a scheduling conflict.[9] Connie Nielsen was also cast.[10]

Principal photography began in July 2022 at Babelsberg Studio in Berlin, Germany.[9]

Release

In June 2022, it was reported that Amazon Prime Video was in final negotiations to release the film in the United States and several international territories.[7] The sale was confirmed that same month.[8]

Role Play was released by the platform on January 12, 2024.[1]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 20% of 30 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4.7/10.[11] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 38 out of 100, based on 10 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable" reviews.[12]

Dennis Harvey of Variety wrote: "Luckily, Role Play is handled lightly enough by Vincent's direction and Seth Owen's script that we never feel the need to take it very seriously. Which is fortunate, because otherwise we'd have to ponder why we’re rooting for an amorally ruthless hitwoman anyway".[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tinoco, Armando (November 16, 2023). "'Role Play' Trailer: First Look At Kaley Cuoco & David Oyelowo In Prime Video's Comedic Spy Thriller". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 2, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Role Play (12)". BBFC. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Harvey, Dennis (January 12, 2024). "Role Play Review: Kaley Cuoco Plays a Suburban Mom Moonlighting as a Global Assassin in Amazon's Diverting Lark". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  4. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (July 14, 2020). "Studiocanal & The Picture Company Nab Seth Owen 'Role Play' Spec Script". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  5. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 6, 2021). "Kaley Cuoco In Talks To Star & Produce Studiocanal & Picture Company's High Concept Thriller 'Role Play'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 6, 2021.
  6. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 29, 2021). "Kaley Cuoco Studiocanal & Picture Company Feature 'Role Play' Lands 'Bodyguard' Director Thomas Vincent". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  7. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 6, 2022). "David Oyelowo Joins Studiocanal & Picture Company's 'Role Play' Opposite Kaley Cuoco; Prime Video In Final Talks To Acquire". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 8, 2022.
  8. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 14, 2022). "Billy Bob Thornton Joins Amazon, Studiocanal & Picture Company's Kaley Cuoco Movie 'Role Play'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  9. 1 2 D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 13, 2022). "Bill Nighy Boards Kaley Cuoco Thriller 'Role Play' From Studiocanal, Picture Company & Prime Video". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  10. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 14, 2022). "Kaley Cuoco Thriller 'Role Play' Adds Connie Nielsen". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Role Play". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Role Play". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
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