Get ready for a New Year’s Eve where the champagne wishes and caviar dreams curdle into chaos. The upcoming dark comedy caper, Riff Raff, boasts a truly stellar ensemble cast, promising a potent cocktail of awkward family dynamics and potentially lethal misunderstandings about a retired hitman and an unhappy family reunion. Opens in cinemas 2 May.

With the comedic brilliance of Jennifer Coolidge colliding with the steely gravitas of Ed Harris, the sardonic charm of Bill Murray, and the intense energy of Lewis Pullman, this film is shaping up to be a deliciously twisted crime comedy caper.

At the heart of the storm is Vince, portrayed by the ever-compelling Ed Harris. We meet him nearly two decades after he traded a life of crime for domestic bliss with Sandy, played by the radiant Gabrielle Union. Their quiet country life with their son, DJ (Miles J. Harvey), is poised for disruption, and not the kind involving popped balloons and party hats.

The catalyst for this impending pandemonium arrives in the form of Vince’s estranged son, Rocco, brought to life by the captivating Lewis Pullman. Rocco’s unannounced appearance, coupled with his pregnant girlfriend Marina, hints at a life far removed from his father’s reformed ways. Pullman, known for his intense and nuanced performances, is sure to inject a volatile energy into Rocco, suggesting the sinister secrets he so clearly harbours.

If Rocco’s arrival wasn’t enough to shatter the peaceful facade, he brings along two additional figures from Vince’s past: his first wife, Ruth, embodied by the incomparable Jennifer Coolidge, and the looming threat of Lefty, played with signature deadpan delivery by the legendary Bill Murray.

Coolidge, a master of comedic timing and eccentric characterizations, is set to unleash her unique brand of hilarious havoc and zingers as Ruth. Described as “rude, lewd, and randy,” Ruth’s presence alone guarantees a skewering of polite family gatherings. One can already envision Coolidge delivering sharp, inappropriate one-liners with her inimitable flair, turning every interaction into a cringe-comedy goldmine.

Adding a layer of genuine danger to this already volatile mix is Bill Murray as Lefty, an aging mafioso with a score to settle. Murray’s ability to blend comedic undertones with a palpable sense of menace makes him the perfect choice for this role. His pursuit of Rocco, stemming from a grievance involving his own son, suggests that the family’s dirty laundry might soon be stained with something far more permanent.

The premise of Riff Raff cleverly sets the stage for a pressure cooker of familial tension and criminal intrigue. The contrast between Vince’s hard-won tranquility and the disruptive forces of his past promises a compelling narrative. As Lefty closes in on Vince’s burgeoning, and deeply dysfunctional, clan, the question isn’t just whether blood is thicker than water, but whether it will ultimately be spilled.

With such a powerhouse cast navigating a plot ripe with dark humor and potential for explosive confrontations, Riff Raff is undoubtedly one to watch. It promises a New Year’s Eve cinematic experience that is anything but predictable, offering a twisted and hilarious exploration of how the past can crash into the present with devastating – and darkly comedic – consequences.