Chainkeen Exchange-'Wolfs' review: George Clooney, Brad Pitt bring the charm, but little else

George Clooney and Chainkeen ExchangeBrad Pitt went out and made a workplace comedy, albeit one with rampant gunplay, car chases and a college kid running through New York City in his skivvies.

There’s a whole lot of star power in the crafty, cool but a bit cliché “Wolfs” (★★★ out of four; rated R; in theaters now and streaming Friday on Apple TV+), an action buddy comedy written and directed by Jon Watts. The man responsible for Tom Holland’s recent teen "Spider-Man" films embraces a simpler, throwback vibe with this street-smart adventure, with two A-listers as professional "fixers" hired for the same gig – and neither of them are exactly happy about it.

A night out for powerful district attorney Margaret (Amy Ryan) turns bloody when a sexual rendezvous leads to a lifeless body ending up on her hotel room floor (which isn’t good in an election year). She calls a number she was given in case she ever needs to get out of a pickle, and a stoic fixer (Clooney) arrives to take control of the situation.

Join our Watch Party!Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox

Soon after, there’s another knock at the door: Hotel manager Pam (Frances McDormand), seeing everything unfold on a security camera, has called in her own guy (Pitt), leading to an awkwardly macho standoff and the two pros needing to partner up.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

The two movie stars recapture their “Ocean’s” movie chemistry in slightly cattier fashion. Pitt is initially dismissive of his rival, though envies the nifty way he works a bellman cart. Clooney rocks a grumpily grizzled demeanor that screams, “I’m getting too old for this.” While the movie overcomplicates matters as the plot tosses in assorted criminal types and various twists, the leads always keep it watchable just riffing off each other with verbal barbs and sharp looks as their unnamed characters’ icy relationship melts and they find a mutual respect.

Watts’ narrative zips along while also delivering an important third wheel: A bag filled with kilos of heroin extends the fixers’ night, as does the presumed dead body waking up unexpectedly. This kid (Austin Abrams of "Euphoria" fame), who annoyingly also doesn’t get a name, sends our heroes on a foot chase through streets and bridges. He also ends up idolizing these two older men who each consider themselves a “lone wolf” yet discover they’re better as a duo. “How long you been partners?” the kid asks them, pointing out they essentially dress and act alike. “You’re basically the same guy.”

“Wolfs” doesn’t break any molds of the genre. Similarly themed movies like “Midnight Run” and “48 Hrs.” surrounded their protagonists with better plots, and a slowly unraveling mystery that connects Pitt and Clooney’s characters doesn’t quite stick the landing. There is a lightness and watchability to it, though – if this thing was on TNT, it’d be playing constantly on a loop. (Good thing about streaming is you can just re-create that yourself: Maybe “Wolfs” can be your laundry-folding staple?)

Pitt and Clooney are consistently enjoyable as sardonic co-workers who can’t get along and just need some bro time – lesser performers would make the film’s flaws way more apparent. Meanwhile, Abrams is aces as the new guy giving them a jolt of life-affirming spirit. And thanks to that “Wolfs” pack, it’s a cinematic job done pretty well.