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Just Play Dead

Just Play Dead

Thriller · Crime · 2026

A criminal mastermind plans to fake his death for insurance money while framing his wife's lover. His wife plots to kill him for real and take it all. Both race to outmanoeuvre each other in a deadly battle of wits.

Movie details

Just Play Dead

“Til death do they part.”

2026 Thriller · Crime 1h 37m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

8.2 / 10

Community rating

A criminal mastermind plans to fake his death for insurance money while framing his wife's lover. His wife plots to kill him for real and take it all. Both race to outmanoeuvre each other in a deadly battle of wits.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Just Play Dead?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Body Brokers

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Martin Campbell

Written by

Dan Gordon

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson

Jack Wolfe

Eva Green

Eva Green

Nora Wolfe

María Pedraza

María Pedraza

Bianca

Eoin Macken

Eoin Macken

Dani

Jason Fernández

Jason Fernández

Chad

Court is in session

Put Just Play Dead on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Big-Idea Head

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.