Worth Watching? A Momager's Take: THE RIP

Can I just say this, The Rip is not about crime, it’s about what happens when good people panic.

I watched The Rip on Netflix, I genuinely haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Not because of the action, there’s plenty of that. Not because of the tension, although it definitely holds you there. But because of what it quietly reveals about people when pressure starts closing in.

At first, it feels like a crime thriller. The pacing, the stakes, the shifting loyalties, it pulls you into that world quickly. But as the story unfolds, you begin to realise the crime is almost secondary. What it’s really exploring is fear. And how fear distorts judgment.

These aren’t villains in the traditional sense. They’re people who believe they’re making rational decisions. People who convince themselves they’re doing what’s necessary. And that’s what makes it unsettling.

Because panic doesn’t announce itself dramatically. It creeps in. It sounds like, “We’ll fix this later.”

It looks like, “Just this once.”

It feels like survival.

And suddenly, lines that once felt solid begin to blur.

What struck me most is how fragile trust becomes when survival enters the room. You watch relationships shift in subtle ways. Eye contact changes. Conversations carry weight. Silence becomes loud. The film doesn’t just show betrayal, it shows the fear of betrayal. And that tension is heavy.

As a parent, I couldn’t help but think about teenagers while watching it.

Because take away the crime, take away the weapons, take away the extreme circumstances, and what’s left is something teens understand deeply.

Loyalty under pressure.

Fear of being left out.

The pull between doing what’s right and doing what protects you socially.

The question of, “If everything was on the line, who would I be?”

Teenagers already live in a world where trust is tested daily. Friendships fracture. Group dynamics shift. Someone says something in a group chat. Someone chooses silence instead of speaking up. Someone protects themselves instead of the truth.

The stakes look different, but emotionally? They’re not as far apart as we think.

That’s why I’d say: this is not a background-noise film. And if you’re watching it with teens, it needs conversation.

Not a lecture. A conversation.

Because the real value of The Rip isn’t in dissecting the plot. It’s in asking the uncomfortable questions afterward.

What do you do when you’re scared?

Who do you protect first, yourself or others?

Is loyalty still loyalty if it’s built on fear?

How fast can one decision change the trajectory of everything?

There’s also something important here for young actors and teens who love film. The performances are layered in a way that doesn’t rely on dramatic outbursts. A lot of the acting lives in restraint, in micro-expressions, in hesitation, in what isn’t said. It’s a reminder that tension on screen often comes from truth, not volume.

When a character starts justifying something morally questionable, you can see the internal conflict flicker across their face. That’s not about theatrics. That’s about understanding human psychology. And for teens studying screen acting, it’s such a strong example of how pressure translates physically.

But beyond craft, the deeper conversation is about values.

As parents, we spend so much time teaching right from wrong in clear terms. Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t hurt people.

But real life rarely presents itself in black and white.

Sometimes it presents as:

“If I tell the truth, I lose everything.”

“If I stay silent, maybe this goes away.”

“If I just protect myself, I survive.”

And that’s where character is formed.

What stayed with me long after the credits rolled was this question:

When things get messy, and they will, what values do you actually hold onto?

Not when it’s easy.

Not when everyone agrees.

But when your heart is racing and your future feels uncertain.

The film doesn’t hand you answers. It lets the consequences unfold naturally. And that’s powerful. Because it mirrors reality, choices compound. Small compromises grow. And sometimes the biggest damage isn’t external. It’s internal.

It’s the erosion of self-trust.

I think that’s why it lingers.

For families raising teens who are navigating identity, belonging, ambition, and pressure, this kind of story becomes more than entertainment. It becomes a mirror. A safe one. A controlled one. A place to explore “what if” without real-world fallout.

That’s valuable.

So yes, The Rip is worth watching.

But not casually. Not while scrolling. Not half-paying attention.

This one deserves a pause.

A debrief.

A “What did you think?” afterward.

Because beneath the crime and the chaos, it’s asking something much quieter, and much more relevant to growing up:

When fear walks in the room, who do you become?

📌 Film poster used for review purposes only. Always check local age ratings.