Swiper

Swiper is a 2025 American black comedy science fiction psychological thriller film produced, written and directed by Andrew Niccol and based on the character of the same name created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner. Benicio del Toro reprises his role as the title character. Set in 1981, it follows Rico Hernandez, a failed clown and stand-up comedian turned tech giant whose descent into insanity and nihilism inspires a violent counter-cultural revolution against the wealthy in a decaying New York City.

Swiper received numerous accolades. At the 98th Academy Awards, the film earned a leading 11 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score, winning Best Actor for del Toro.

Cast

 * Benicio del Toro as Swiper / Rico Hernandez
 * Al Pacino as Gary Bermann
 * Michelle Williams as TBA
 * Frances McDormand as Fifi
 * Leon Thomas III as Sami
 * Chet Hanks as Fomkah
 * Kevin Cheng as Ying Ying

Release
The film was released on February 21, 2025.

Music
The film's score was composed by Lorne Balfe.

Transcript
Swiper/Transcript

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Critical reception
The film holds an approval rating of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. The site's critical consensus reads, "Swiper gives its infamous central character a darkly humorous and chillingly plausible origin story that serves as a brilliant showcase for its star." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 90 out of 100 based on 60 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".