Movie · 2023 · Action, Comedy, Romance · 1h 41m · R · English
Curator score: 0.4/10 (45.3K ratings)
Every couple has their secrets.
Overview
Emma has a wonderful husband and two kids in the suburbs of New Jersey – she also has a secret life as an assassin for hire – a secret that her husband David discovers when the couple decide to spice up their marriage with a little role play.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.4/10
IMDb: 5.5/10
Letterboxd: 2.32/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 25%
Metacritic: 38
TMDB: 6.0/10
Director
Thomas Vincent
Production
StudioCanal, The Picture Company, Studio Babelsberg, StudioCanal
Cast
Kaley Cuoco, David Oyelowo, Bill Nighy, Connie Nielsen, Rudi Dharmalingam, Lucia Aliu, Reagan Bryan-Gudgeon, Simon Delaney, Sonita Henry, Jade-Eleena Dregorius, Julia Schunevitsch, Stephanie Levi-John, Steffen Jung, Betty Kaplan, Dong Hyun Yoon, Matthias Schmidt, Moritz Berg, Angus McGruther, Dominic Holmes, Jonathan Failla
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A mildly amusing premise and a capable cast can’t overcome the thin writing, awkward tonal mix, and streaming-thriller blandness. There are a few light sparks in the chemistry and some playful identity-switch setup, but the movie mostly feels undercooked and mechanically plotted.
Best for
Viewers who want an easy, low-stakes action-comedy to have on in the background
Fans of Kaley Cuoco or David Oyelowo looking for a lightweight star vehicle
People who are forgiving of formulaic streaming originals and just want a few jokes and chase scenes
Skip if
You want sharp romantic-comedy banter or a genuinely clever premise payoff
You’re looking for polished action choreography or suspense
You’re irritated by artificial dialogue, thin plotting, or tonal whiplash
Overview
Role Play starts with a premise that should be a blast: a suburban marriage, a secret assassin double life, and a couple trying to reignite their relationship through a little erotic role-playing. That setup promises screwball energy and spy-movie mischief, but the film never fully commits to either the comedy or the thrills.
Worth noting
What keeps it from collapsing entirely is the cast. Kaley Cuoco gives the movie some needed momentum, David Oyelowo brings steadiness, and Bill Nighy clearly understands the assignment and leans into the absurdity. Even so, the script often feels stiff and over-explained, as if it’s moving from beat to beat without finding a rhythm.
Bottom line
The result is a watchable but disposable genre hybrid: not offensive, occasionally amusing, and too often generic. If you’re in the mood for a breezy streaming diversion, it may pass the time; if you want a smart action-comedy or a satisfying relationship farce, there are better options.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Jade talks too much🎅🏻🎄 (3.5★) · 385 likes
Not the best movie ever but I got to look at Kaley Cuoco for 100 minutes👀 and I ate a nice pizza🍕whilst it was on.
I'm easily pleased but I had fun.🤷♀️
CinemaCollect (1.5★) · 220 likes
I know everyone jokes about that one movie that's presented by chatGPT, but come on... You can't tell me this isn't. The script has people talking in the most unnatural of ways. The story is all over the place. Calling it "Role Play" makes it seem like it's going to be a fun, romantic comedy. Should have been called whatever the opposite of role play is. You can have fun with whatever you want to call that.
At least David Oyelowo is good as always.
Movies are good22🇨🇦 (1★) · 191 likes
Bill Nighy was the only somewhat redeemable thing about this terrible film
haley (2★) · 137 likes
if you're into super basic action movies that really have nothing going for them, this might be right up your alley. at least kaley cuoco is pretty.
Ziglet_mir (2★) · 121 likes
The flipped use of identity and truth between the couple during each "bar scene" is a neat idea. Bill Nighy goes HAM. The rest of the film is mediocre at best.
2022 · Action, Adventure, Comedy · 1h 52m · PG-13 · Curator 1.5/10 (530.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Netflix Standard with Ads
A glossy, crowd-pleasing adventure-comedy that succeeds by fully embracing its silly premise.