Clean (2022)

Clean (2022)

 3/10

Starring

Adrien Brody

 

Directed by Paul Solet

 

This Adrien Brody film runs for just 90 minutes, but it still felt like I was watching a 2-hour, 30-minute movie. The pacing was slow to start, dragging on for what seemed like ages before we got into the mind of the man whose wrath we’re supposed to fear.

It felt like a B-movie knock off of John Wick, except without the slow-burn intrigue. The setup was dull, with too much time wasted trying to make us connect with what was about to happen. When the action finally did kick off, everything unfolded so quickly that there wasn’t enough time to appreciate it. Instead, the story fades into a predictable portrayal of life after his "cleanup."

The film attempts to deliver emotional depth, something rarely explored to this extent in movies of this caliber. However, even this aspect felt overplayed with Clean’s supposed good deeds and the repetitive inner monologues about his struggles.

It’s clear that Adrien Brody wanted this movie to be memorable, but despite the love and devotion poured into its creation, it lacked originality.

The story follows Clean as he cleans up not just garbage but also the neighborhood he lives in. He’s a garbage man who volunteers his time for community cleanup and seems tortured by a past that revolves around the loss of his family. There’s a darkness that looms over him, and it becomes clear that his attempts at redemption—through meetings and charity work—are his way of keeping that darkness at bay.

He quietly adopts a protective role toward his neighbor and her granddaughter, becoming a distant yet caring figure in their lives. One day, he rescues the girl from a group of men trying to take advantage of her, using a wrench to take them all down. However, one of those men turns out to be the son of a notorious drug lord. Seeking revenge, the drug lord comes after Clean, but it seems like Clean is ready to take on the world—possibly as a way to unleash the rage he’s been suppressing.

In the end, I couldn’t help but feel this movie would’ve worked better as a short film. All the extended scenes didn’t add much, and you could understand the movie perfectly by watching five minutes of him and the neighbor, followed by the events after the rescue.

I will say, the best thing you can do for yourself is to watch another movie.