For anyone who likes a tightly-knit thriller, Finestkind is probably one to look out for in the coming months. For one, the upcoming film comes from writer-director Brian Helgeland, an Academy Award-winning filmmaker known for giving us some of the most notable crime thriller films of the last 20 years. But that’s not all. The film also boasts a cast that has been making headlines and features fan-favorite “scream queen” Jenna Ortega, who shares the screen with Academy, Golden Globe, and Emmy-winner Tommy Lee Jones, along with award-winning actors like Ben Foster and Toby Wallace, as the main cast members. Yellowstone creator and master of neo-Westerns, Taylor Sheridan is attached to the film as one of the producers. Set in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Finestkind follows two estranged stepbrothers and a crew of local fishermen who get involved with the Boston crime syndicate to get out of their piling debts. But as you would expect in a situation like this, things start to take a dangerous turn for them when their deal puts their father in danger and a mysterious young woman gets caught up in the middle.
With a filmmaker like Helgeland helming the project and a cast featuring notable names in crime and thriller genres, you can expect Finestkind to be at par with the creator’s previous projects like Mystic River. The film is all set to celebrate its upcoming global premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2023 before a wide streaming release. So, before the film’s impending arrival, here’s our quick and handy guide on the film’s plot, trailer, release information, cast, characters, and everything else that we know so far about Finestkind.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on October 27.
When Is ‘Finestkind’ Coming Out?
Finestkind premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023, as a part of the festival’s Gala Presentations section, alongside films like Chloe Domont’s Fair Play, Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money, and Thom Zimny’s Sly, among many others. The global screening will be followed by a streaming release on December 15, 2023.
Where Can You Watch ‘Finestkind’?
In April 2022, Paramount+ acquired the distribution rights to Finestkind. So, when it finally arrives on streaming on December 15, you can watch the film on Paramount+ with a subscription. The streamer is also home to Ortega’s other thriller films like X, Scream, and Scream VI.
Watch on Paramount+
Who’s In the Cast of ‘Finestkind’?
Helgeland and the team seem to have put together a stellar cast list for this upcoming crime thriller drama. Hell or High Water star Ben Foster and Pistol star Toby Wallace lead the cast as the two protagonists and stepbrothers, Tom and Charlie respectively, who get involved with the Boston mob. Foster is next set to appear in the upcoming film adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day’s Journey Into Night, while Wallace will be next seen in the films The Royal Hotel and The Bikeriders. Men in Black star Tommy Lee Jones features as Ray Elridge, Tom and Charlie’s father, who seems to have a certain reputation within the community. Joining him in the main cast is Wednesday star Jenna Ortega, who plays the role of Mabel, Charlie’s girlfriend who seems to have her own story entangled with the Elridges. Jones will next appear in the legal drama film The Burial co-starring Jamie Foxx. As for Ortega, besides her much-awaited return to the iconic titular role in Wednesday Season 2, the Scream star has a number of exciting projects lined up, with five more upcoming films including Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 and Death of a Unicorn, among others.
The rest of the ensemble cast of Finestkind includes Ismael Cruz Córdova (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) as Costa, Tim Daly (Madam Secretary) as Dennis Sykes, Clayne Crawford (Lethal Weapon) as Pete Weeks, Aaron Stanford (The Hills Have Eyes) as Skeemo, Scotty Tovar (Empire) as Nunes, Lolita Davidovich (True Detective) as Donna Sykes, Fernanda Andrade (Moon Knight) as Anne Marie, Charlie Thurston (Boston Strangler) as Mr. White, Rebecca Gibel (CODA) as Paulette, and Kevin Craig West (Don’t Look Up) as Taylor, and Meghan Leathers (For All Mankind).
Who’s Making ‘Finestkind’?
Finestkind is written and directed by Academy Award-winner Brian Helgeland. The screenwriter-producer-director is best known for penning the screenplays for LA Confidential and Mystic River, with the former earning him the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay (among several other awards) and the latter landing nominations at the Academy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe Awards. Apart from these two noteworthy projects, Helgeland has also written and directed the films Payback and A Knight’s Tale, and the biopics 42 and Legend. The crime thriller film is executive produced by Jennifer Roth, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, and Bob Yari, with Gary Foster, Russ Kransoff, Taylor Sheridan, and David C Glasser serving as producers, under 101 Studios, Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment, and Bosque Ranch. Primetime Emmy-winner and Academy Award-nominated Carter Burwell (The Banshees of Inisherin) composed the music while Crille Forsberg (David Bowie: Lazarus) served as the cinematographer for Finestkind.
Is There a ‘Finestkind’ Trailer?
We finally got the official trailer for Finestkind recently, giving us a two-minute preview of the story. In the video (which you can see above), we see the film’s protagonists become entangled with a dangerous gang after a costly mistake. Before the trailer, a first look image for the film was released as a part of the film festival’s announcement of the movie, which shows the main cast members – Tommy Lee Jones, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, and Ben Foster. More images from the movie followed soon after that, and you can see them all right here:
What Is ‘Finestkind’ About?
Finestkind tells the story of two estranged brothers who get involved with the Boston crime syndicate, which ends up becoming a threat to them, their father, and the young woman one of the brothers is dating. Here’s how TIFF has described the film:
“With another brilliantly imposing performance by Jones, the film reveals itself to be a story about fathers who can’t always be the best examples for their sons. A safe return home isn’t always guaranteed, but with a boisterous crew you can’t help but root for, Finestkind will have you eager to get back out on the water, whatever it takes.”
When and Where Was ‘Finestkind’ Filmed?
The principal photography of Finestkind began in the spring of 2022 in April, and wrapped up in May 2022, with the filming taking place in Massachusetts.
