HIALEAH, Fla. — Hialeah’s newly elected mayor is calling out a new Netflix movie he says puts the city in a bad light.

Mayor Bryan Calvo criticized the thriller “The Rip,” starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, saying it unfairly portrays Hialeah and disrespects local law enforcement.

“This movie is a slap in the face of our law enforcement personnel,” Calvo said.

Calvo said the real events that inspired the film happened in Miami Lakes, but filmmakers chose to set the story in Hialeah instead. He added the city has long been the target of jokes and stereotypes.

“I know Hialeah has been the butt of the joke for a long time, but that ends now,” he said.

While the film shows shots of the Miami skyline, much of it was actually shot in New Jersey and Los Angeles. Calvo also pointed out that Affleck mispronounces Hialeah multiple times in the movie.

The film does include accurate details from the real-life case, including a raid involving 24 orange Home Depot buckets filled with cash -- the largest money seizure in Miami-Dade County history.

Hialeah mayor criticizes Netflix film over city portrayal

About The Author