by Hudson Moura
Written and directed by Shawn Simmons, Eenie Meanie is a gender-flipped car-chase thriller that never quite decides whether it wants to be a gritty drama or a stylized B-movie romp. Fronted by Samara Weaving in the role of Edie—formerly known by her teen nickname “Eenie Meanie”—this film delivers high-octane action mixed with personal trauma, chaotic romance, and a dash of nostalgia for the classic police-chasing flicks.
At the center of the film is Edie, a former teen getaway driver trained by her small-time criminal father (Steve Zahn). After a reckless youth filled with high-speed escapes and morally dubious loyalties, she has tried to rebuild her life. Now working at a bank (what the odds!) and enrolled in community college, Edie is striving for stability—until her volatile boyfriend, John (Karl Glusman), finds himself in deadly trouble. In a twist of fate and desperation, Edie is pulled back into the underworld, agreeing to drive for one last job: a casino heist orchestrated by her old associate Nico (Andy Garcia), who still calls her by her infamous nickname.
There is a fascinating contradiction at the heart of Eenie Meanie. On one hand, the film embraces the genre’s tropes—tense heists, fast cars, morally gray criminals, and stylized violence. On the other, it weaves in unexpected emotional depth, exploring Edie’s complex relationship with her parents and boyfriend, her lingering trauma, and her unexpected pregnancy. These personal stakes raise the narrative tension, though at times the film threatens to buckle under the weight of its own melodrama.
Samara Weaving delivers a capable, if not entirely memorable, performance. She leans into the film’s physical demands while offering glimmers of emotional resonance. Yet her character feels more like an archetype than a fully realized person—a flaw not uncommon in action films, but disappointing here given the character-driven ambition of Simmons’s script.
The strongest element of Eenie Meanie is undoubtedly its car chases—tight, frenetic sequences that are well-choreographed and adrenaline-inducing. Simmons has a knack for kinetic energy, and the film’s pacing rarely lets up. However, the action sometimes comes at the expense of coherence. The editing veers toward chaos, and the visual style leans so heavily into grit and speed that quieter scenes feel emotionally flattened.
Tonally, the film is inconsistent. Its moments of humor—often unintentional—clash with the more earnest explorations of trauma and redemption. The supporting cast feels uneven: Karl Glusman plays the unhinged, combustible boyfriend with manic charm, echoing his role in Love (2015), but Andy Garcia, though reliably magnetic, is saddled with clichéd dialogue and predictable motivations.
Eenie Meanie is neither a total wreck nor a polished gem. It’s a messy but entertaining ride, packed with energy and occasional emotional sincerity. Its central conceit—a female getaway driver navigating a man’s world that taught her to run—holds promise, but the execution doesn’t fully deliver on the thematic depth it gestures toward. What remains is a film that’s thrilling, uneven, and surprisingly tender in moments. If you’re in the mood for fast cars, flawed characters, and a heist narrative with a twist of domestic drama, Eenie Meanie might be worth the ride. Just don’t expect the engine to run smoothly the whole way through. 
3/5
Eenie Meanie premieres Friday, Aug. 22, on Disney+