The city of Hialeah may pursue legal action against the creators of the Netflix film The Rip over what Mayor Bryan Calvo called a misleading and damaging portrayal of the city.
Calvo held a news conference on Friday, saying the city is reviewing possible legal options related to the movie, which he argues inaccurately depicts Hialeah as unsafe and corrupt.
The film is based on a real 2016 drug investigation in Miami Lakes involving a multimillion-dollar cash seizure. However, the story in The Rip is set in Hialeah.
“The real story took place in Miami Lakes, but they didn’t choose to make the movie there,” Calvo said. “They chose Hialeah because Hialeah is iconic. They needed our grit and our status to make the movie relevant.”
Online viewers have also pointed out that actor Ben Affleck, who stars in the film, mispronounces the city’s name.
“It’s pronounced Hialeah,” Calvo said.
Calvo said he recently watched the movie and immediately became concerned about how the portrayal could affect the city’s reputation and future economic development.
The Rip is currently Netflix’s No. 1 movie worldwide, a reach Calvo said could leave international audiences with the impression that Hialeah is dangerous.
“This movie is a slap in the face to our law enforcement personnel,” Calvo said, citing crime data. “Hialeah is the second safest major city in Florida and ranks in the top 15% of safest major cities in the nation.”
The movie draws inspiration from a case in which more than $20 million was discovered hidden inside buckets concealed in the walls of a Miami Lakes home. A suspected marijuana trafficker was later arrested, and the case became the largest money seizure in the history of what was then the Miami-Dade Police Department, now the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office.
Calvo said the film portrays Hialeah police officers as corrupt, which he strongly disputed.
“This patch,” Calvo said, pointing to a Hialeah Police Department insignia, “is shown in the film while suggesting our officers are corrupt. That is a massive disrespect to the city.”
He said some officers depicted in the movie have retained attorneys and may pursue their own legal action. Calvo added that the city is also reviewing potential copyright issues, including the use of the city’s seal, and whether the film could cause financial harm by discouraging investment.
While no lawsuit has been filed, Calvo said the city is considering all available legal options.
