Outline:
The Rip, Netflix’s latest film featuringMatt Damon and Ben Affleck, is an action-packed police thriller filled with tension and suspicion. Following the killing of their captain, the Miami-Dade Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT) uncovers a hidden stash house containing over $20 million, placing them in a dangerous and life-threatening scenario. At any moment, the cartel might return to retrieve their funds, or the group of corrupt officers known for raiding stash houses and stealing the money could come to take their biggest prize—possibly with assistance from someone within TNT.
As shots and criticisms are exchanged, it might be hard to believe the film was “inspired by true events,as the opening title card states. And, indeed, much of what writer-director Joe Carnahan brought to the screen is original. However, there is a real-life tale at the core ofThe Rip, and it came to the filmmakers directly from someone who experienced it firsthand.
The Break-In Was Based On An Actual Miami Drug House Raid
As stated in the production details provided to the media,The RipHis life began on the set ofBad Boys for Life, where Carnahan worked with Chris Casiano, a genuine Miami police officer serving as a technical consultant for the film. Casiano provided a case from his time heading a tactical narcotics unit, which eventually resulted in the largest cash seizure in the history of the Miami-Dade Police Department.
In 2016, as per aMiami Heralda report from the time stated that police searched the home of Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez, who operated a gardening equipment business, on suspicion of marijuana distribution. Following an inspection of the property, they uncovered a hidden room in the attic containing approximately $24 million in cash, stored in bags and placed inside large buckets. These specific elements were kept for the film, along with the use of money-detecting dogs to scan the location, as Carnahan explained to Netflix:
In the film and in real life, when the dog was outside, it was completely frantic… [The dog’s trainer] mentioned what Catalina says in the movie: There’s far more than $75,000 in this house, because the dog is alerting here, indicating it can smell the presence of money already. I found that incredibly fascinating. I had never come across a police story like that before.
The statue marked the end of an extended inquiry partially carried out by the DEA, which is also included inThe Rip. The aspect of having to count the money on-site is also realistic, although it seems to have been more tiring than perilous. Talking aboutGoldDerby, Carnahan says it actually needs to be countedtwice, and the entire process lasted 42 hours.
Not mentioned in any reports from that period, however, are references to the cartel, groups of corrupt police officers, or a confrontation with the FBI. The truth, it appears, was simplyThe Rip‘s starting point. Although Casiano informed Netflix that during the actual break-in, he observed cameras placed throughout the house, which made him question if someone was coming after him and his team:
Joe [Carnahan] and I began developing from that element. It’s tense: ‘Who is the villain? Are the police corrupt? Will the cartel appear and kill everyone? What’s happening?’
The Slip Might Have Been Influenced by Actual Miami Police Scandals
Although not a direct inspiration like Casiano’s rip, Carnahan’s film references one of the most notorious police corruption cases in American history: the Miami River Cops Scandal.
In 1985, three bodies were discovered floating in the Miami River, initially believed to be connected to a failed drug transaction. However, as the investigation progressed, it was determined that police officers had raided a boat and stolen between 350 to 400 kilograms of cocaine. An undercover operation later uncovered a group known as the River Cops, who had been involved in such activities for over a year. As reported in a 1990PBSreport, individuals involved were believed to have earned between $100,000 and $2 million each by selling illicit drugs.
Some of the original officers were tried and sentenced for various charges, receiving extended prison terms, yet the probe continued. The FBI joined forces with the Miami Police Department’s Internal Affairs division, leading to the discovery that 10% of Miami’s police force was corrupt, resulting in their suspension or termination.
It would be unexpected if this did not influenceThe Rip. The alleged group of corrupt officers targeting drug hideouts appears to specifically allude to the River Cops, yet the film’s beginning also touches on this scenario in a broader sense. IA and the FBI are looking into TNT after their captain was killed, and several individuals mention a Miami violent crime unit that had been closed down following a similar inquiry that revealed significant corruption. Although the movie does not directly reenact this scandal, it still shows Carnahan’s strong interest in capturing this ambiance, even though it is set in the present day.
Matt Damon’s Role Included Another Authentic Element From Chris Casiano’s Experiences
Even though a large amount of what occurs inThe Ripis the stuff of imagination, another important aspect of Casiano’s life was included in the script, even though it wasn’t part of the original case. In 2021, after his time with Carnahan on the set ofBad Boys for Life, Casiano lost his 11-year-old son, Jake, following a long struggle with leukemia. With his permission, Carnahan included this element in Damon’s character, Lieutenant Dane Dumars, who was inspired by Casiano.
Dumars’ sorrow regarding his son’s passing is a significant recurring element inThe Rip, and the film frequently revisits it. Although other characters present it as a crucial element in his unusual behavior at the hideout, and possibly a reason for wanting to steal the money, its role in the story is ultimately to add some emotional depth to the exciting action.The Rip‘s credits reveal the The movie is devoted to Jake William Casiano..
In the same conversation withGoldDerby, Carnahan explains that his intention was to “Design a container to hold this sorrow and melancholy, and perhaps transform it into a living tribute to Jake for the brief time he was on this earth. […] It was very important to me that [Jake] be the first name you encounter, as it conveyed that there was a passionate soul at its core.“