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Image courtesy of Everett Collection
Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies, television, culture, and politics online and in print since 2017. He worked as a Senior Editor in Adbusters Media Foundation from 2018-2019 and wrote for WhatCulture in early 2020. He has been a Senior Features Writer for ScreenRant since 2020.
While The Rip is an exciting, unpredictable thriller in its own right, the Netflix number one movie’s real-life inspiration makes Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s latest collaboration even better. Directed by Joe Carnahan of Smokin’ Aces fame, The Rip is a hit Netflix action thriller that follows a group of cops who uncover millions in cash at a stash house.
A starry cast, including Teyana Taylor, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Kyle Chandler, Sasha Calle, and Steven Yeun, elevates this thriller, which reached the number one spot on Netflix the weekend of its release. It is easy to see why, as The Rip’s twisty story is tense, original, and gripping. However, the movie’s real-life inspiration makes it unexpectedly moving, too.
The Rip’s Real-Life Inspiration Gave The Thriller Uncommon Depth
Image courtesy of Everett CollectionThe reason The Rip is dedicated to Jake William Casiano is that Carnahan met Jake’s father, Chris Casiano, while working on 2020’s Bad Boys for Life. A former Miami cop, Casiano was a technical advisor on the movie, and he told Carnahan of a real-life rip he encountered. The anecdote went on to inspire the Netflix action movie.
Casiano also shared his real-life struggle with Carnahan while collaborating with him on The Rip. Chris Casiano’s son, Jake William Casiano, died from leukemia at the age of 11 in 2021. Carnahan told GoldDerby in an interview that this inspired the backstory of Damon’s antihero, Dane Dumars, who lost his own son, Jake, before The Rip’s story begins.
It’s rare for a straightforward thriller movie to have such a poignant backstory for its antihero, and The Rip’s real-life inspiration adds weight and real human emotion to the movie’s story. Netflix’s number one movie is also a perfect reminder to watch Liam Neeson’s underrated masterpiece from 15 years ago, as The Rip’s Joe Carnahan also directed 2011’s The Grey.
The Rip’s Real-Life Backstory Was Perfectly Weaved Into Its Plot
Image courtesy of Claire Folger/NetflixAn incredible survival thriller, The Grey features one of Liam Neeson’s best performances and shares The Rip’s best action movie twist. Both movies give their protagonists an unexpectedly moving, deeply harrowing backstory, which deepens the audience’s emotional connection and heightens the stakes. As a result, Carnahan’s action thrillers feel like more than empty thrill rides.
While Affleck’s earlier Netflix heist movie Triple Frontier was almost as gritty and action-packed as The Rip, that 2019 effort failed to bring this level of unexpected profundity to an otherwise straightforward genre thriller. In contrast, by pulling inspiration from a real-life tragedy, The Rip elevated its story to something more emotionally resonant than an average thriller movie.
Release Date January 16, 2026
Runtime 133 minutes
Director Joe Carnahan
Writers Joe Carnahan, Michael McGrale
English (US) ·