Reptile (film)

Reptile is a 2023 American crime thriller film directed by Grant Singer in his feature-film directorial debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Benjamin Brewer and Benicio del Toro, and a story he co-wrote with Brewer. The film stars del Toro in the lead role, alongside Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, and Michael Pitt.

It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2023, and was released in the United States in select theaters on September 22, 2023, before streaming on Netflix on September 29.

Plot
Will Grady finds his girlfriend Summer Elswick brutally murdered in a rural Maine house that they had been showing for sale as realtors. Tom Nichols and his partner Dan Cleary, police detectives assigned to the case, question Will, who reveals he wanted to marry Summer but could not as she was still married to Sam Gifford. Video evidence from nearby security footage shows a dark-colored car with a missing hubcap that Dan identifies as a 1990 Buick LeSabre; later on, Tom's wife Judy correctly identifies the vehicle as a Chrysler Imperial.

After Summer's funeral, Will tells Tom of Eli Phillips, who tried to force himself into his mother's house a few nights earlier. Will explains that when his father ran the family's real estate company, they had forcibly bought Eli's family farm. Eli's father committed suicide, and Eli blames Will's family for it. Questioned by Tom and Dan, Eli accuses Will of murdering Summer. Eli has also been researching Tom himself, briefly discussing a corruption scandal involving Tom's former partner at a Philadelphia precinct.

DNA analysis of semen found inside Summer matches that of Sam. This goes along with a statement from a friend of Summer's that the two of them were still seeing each other to have sex. Tom returns to Sam's with a warrant. Sam grabs Dan's gun and is fatally shot by Tom while attempting to flee. A search of his house finds 13 kilograms of heroin.

The deceased Sam is declared to be Summer's murderer, but Tom is hesitant to consider the case solved. Eli shows up at his house at night and gives him a flash drive with evidence that Summer was caught up in a scheme by the Gradys to launder drug money. Properties are planted with drugs and then commandeered via civil asset forfeiture. The Gradys, operating under a shell company called White Fish, then snap up the properties at a discount. Summer was murdered to stop her from reporting the scheme to the DEA.

Evidence points to police officer Wally Finn being behind White Fish, as he also heads a private security company called Active Duty Consulting that uses the same post office box as White Fish. Will shows up at Eli's house demanding the flash drive back. Another person shows up. Tom later arrives at Eli's house and finds him missing with his kitchen scrubbed clean and an empty bleach bottle left behind.

Tom attends the birthday party for Captain Robert Allen, his superior officer and Judy's uncle. He attempts to inform Allen of Wally's role in Summer's murder and the money laundering scheme, but is interrupted. Later at the party, Tom discovers a Chrysler Imperial in Allen's garage with a new paint job. Allen finds Tom and tells him to let the matter go.

Fearing for his safety, Tom comes home with Judy, explains what he knows to her, and tells her they must leave that night. Allen calls and tells Tom to come over the next day, where he will explain the matter. Tom agrees. He gives the flash drive to police chief Marty Graeber, and the two go together to Allen's house. Marty excuses himself to go to the bathroom, and Allen pleads with Tom to leave to save his life, before going upstairs, where an unseen person fatally shoots him. Tom confronts Marty, who is in on the scheme, in the bathroom. Marty reaches for his gun but Tom shoots and kills him. He then shoots Wally (who was the man upstairs who killed Allen) and subdues him.

The FBI arrests Will as he is golfing.

Development
On August 26, 2021, Netflix was set to produce the crime thriller script Reptile with music video director Grant Singer set to make his directorial feature film debut and with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, Seth Spector, Thad Luckinbill, Benicio Del Toro, and Rachel Smith as the film’s producers. On October 14, 2021, Singer and Brewer were credited as co-writers.

Casting
Along with the announcement on August 26, 2021, Del Toro and Justin Timberlake were cast in the film. On September 30, 2021, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Pitt, Ato Essandoh, Frances Fisher, Eric Bogosian, Domenick Lombardozzi, Karl Glusman, Matilda Lutz, Owen Teague, and Catherine Dyer were cast in the film. On October 14, 2021, Mike Pniewski, Thad Luckinbill, Sky Ferreira, James Devoti, and Michael Beasley were cast in the film.

Filming
On August 15, 2021, filming began in Atlanta, Georgia.

Soundtrack
The film score was composed by Yair Elazar Glotman, featuring Arca.

Release
Reptile premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2023. It was originally scheduled to be released by Netflix on October 6, 2023. It was later changed to having a limited release in select theaters in the United States on September 22, 2023, before streaming on Netflix on September 29.

Reception
On October 10, 2023, Reptile earned the #1 spot for English language films around the world on Netflix with 19.9 million views for the week, and on October 17, 2023, Reptile earned the #1 spot for English language films around the world on Netflix with 14.2 million views. That being its third week in a row as the #1 most viewed English language film globally on Netflix.

On October 19, 2023, The Wrap reported that for the third consecutive week Reptile was the most-watched title of all films and tv shows across any streaming service.