Money, Secrets, and Cops: The Real Story Behind Netflix's The Rip

Netflix's latest hit, The Rip, is a gripping crime thriller that blends real-life events with a lot of imagination. The movie, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, is based on a real drug bust that happened in Miami Lakes, Florida, about ten years ago. But don't expect the movie to be a straight retelling of the facts—it's more like a creative spin on what really happened. The film became a huge success right after its release on January 16, quickly climbing to the top of Netflix's English film list with over 40 million views in just two weeks. The story follows two cops, Lieutenant Dane Dumars (Damon) and Detective Sergeant J. D. Byrne (Affleck), who raid a house based on an anonymous tip. What they find is a lot more money than they expected, and things get complicated fast. The cops start to suspect each other, and it's not clear who's there to do their job or who's there to steal the cash.The real-life incident that inspired the movie happened in June 2016, when Miami-Dade police raided a home belonging to Luis Hernandez-Gonzalez. He ran a gardening supply store as a cover for his marijuana trafficking business. The police found over $20 million hidden in orange Home Depot buckets in the attic. The movie keeps this detail but adds a lot of drama, including corrupt cops and a shoot-out with cartel members—which didn't happen in real life. The movie's director, Joe Carnahan, got the idea for the story from his friend Chris Casiano, a Miami-Dade police officer who was involved in the real raid. Carnahan used Casiano's experience as inspiration for Damon's character but added fictional elements to make the story more exciting. The movie also includes a personal touch: Damon's character is grieving the loss of his son, just like Casiano, who lost his own son to leukemia in 2021. Carnahan dedicated the movie to Casiano's son, Jake. Affleck and Damon have worked together many times before, including in their Oscar-winning film Good Will Hunting and the recent hit Air. They also produced The Rip, adding to its appeal. The movie isn't just another cops-and-robbers story—it's a mix of action, suspense, and emotion that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.