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'Sicario' With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Sean Fennessey

March 3, 2026 · Sicario (2015) · Action · Crime · Drama · 2:05:55

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Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 34:10Josh Brolin has the second best career of any 80s child actor, behind only Christian Bale
Sean Fennessey▶ 36:01Remove Sly Stallone and Tom Hardy from Best Supporting Actor nominations, add Harrison Ford for The Force Awakens and Benicio del Toro for Sicario

Would Roger Ebert Have Liked This Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 37:10ChatGPT said Ebert would probably have given it three and a half to four stars, noting that Ebert valued films that wrestled with ethical complexity and loved intelligent thrillers with political weight

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 38:34The opening scene
Chris Ryan▶ 39:02Agrees with the opening scene, particularly praising the shot of her getting blood out of her hair and discussing the scene's functionality in establishing the level of depravity
Sean Fennessey▶ 39:26Agrees with the opening scene, emphasizing how it frames the movie as both a horror movie and war movie

Picking Nits

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:15Two main complaints: what's the plan after the strangling scene (how does he get away with killing an FBI agent), and why is Ted carrying around the cartel money band as his wallet instead of getting a different wallet
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:50Agrees with Bill's complaints about Ted's poor decision-making, noting that Ted striking out in slow pitch softball shows he's not a brain genius
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:00:28Explains that Ted being a flawed hire by the cartel makes sense because he's not really in control of situations

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:04:38Praised Sean's 'stealth homage' research and Chris's seven-level okay motherfucker breakdown
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:38Brolin saying 'can I interest you in this tasty beverage' at the motel is a Pulp Fiction reference. Seven-level 'okay motherfucker' escalation during Juarez border crossing sequence
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:04:18Jeffrey Donovan's character is based on a former ranger in Norman Schwarzkopf's security detail - a bespectacled, yoked, scary but dorky guy. Three stealth homages: Del Toro's state police line referencing Traffic, ignoring the maid scene homaging Thief, and Mexican cop winking with son scene matching Jaws father-son moment

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:07:21The movie's density and complexity - requires understanding CIA/FBI mechanics and multiple viewings to fully comprehend
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:08:36Kate still being insistent on doing things the right way even after the tunnel incident, saying 'I'm gonna tell on you'

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:40Discussed the awkwardness of Emily Blunt's intimate scene with Jon Bernthal from the perspective of her husband John Krasinski having to watch it at premieres, but framed it more as commentary than something that aged poorly
Chris Ryan▶ 1:13:13Daniel Kaluuya's character being named Reggie Wayne in the screenplay, which feels like Taylor Sheridan just borrowed the name from Colts player Reggie Wayne
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:13:26The portrayal of Juarez as the scariest city on earth - the city has significantly improved since the screenplay was written in 2010-2011 and has fallen out of the top 15 most dangerous cities

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:23:56Josh Brolin — Josh Brolin turned down the film after doing Everest, but Roger Deakins convinced him to join. For Emily Blunt alternatives, couldn't find better options than Anne Hathaway or Amy Adams. Kate Winslet from 2005 time-machined forward would be perfect.
Chris Ryan▶ 1:24:16Asked about alternatives for Emily Blunt but didn't provide specific suggestions
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:24:42Scarlett Johansson — Suggested sliding doors scenario where Scarlett Johansson does this instead of Black Widow for Marvel

Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake

Bill Simmons▶ 1:47:09Prestige TV series with all-black cast that could evolve with current news, comparing it to how Homeland should have worked with different conflicts each season
Chris Ryan▶ 1:47:44Multiple ideas: would take a third movie, prequel about Alejandro as Mexican prosecutor/Colombian cartel assassin, Kate as small town sheriff after leaving Arizona, and Jeffrey Donovan spinoff

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:49:05Danny Archer — Expected Wayne Jenkins but acknowledged CR chose Zane Lowe; suggested adding Danny Archer to the possibilities
Chris Ryan▶ 1:48:27Zane Lowe — Zane Lowe - talking to Ted before he goes into the bar, giving him a motivational speech about rising like a phoenix and not using the rubber bands of the Sonora cartel
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:49:28Noted that when Benicio's finger goes in the ear, the character does say 'god damn' like Wayne Jenkins would

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:49:43Benicio Del Toro — Del Toro or Deacons
Chris Ryan▶ 1:49:45Jóhann Jóhannsson — Jóhann Jóhannsson for the score

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:49:58Is this a better movie if Kate shoots Alejandro in the head at the end?
Chris Ryan▶ 1:50:05No to Kate shooting Alejandro, but questions if it would be better if the last shot is Alejandro walking away from the apartment building and not going to Mexico one more time

Memorabilia Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:53:17The fake cocaine bricks from the car when Alejandro kidnaps the cop
Chris Ryan▶ 1:53:10The rubber band from the bankroll to leave on tables and see if people notice

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:53:41You will doubt everything we do, but in the end you'll understand

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:53:59Fast Five — Fast Five paired with Sicario - Fast Five as the happier, entertaining version, then Sicario
Chris Ryan▶ 1:53:47Sicario: Day of the Soldado — Sicario 2: Soldado - to keep the Graver and Alejandro train rolling
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:53:52King of New York — Abel Ferrara's King of New York - another vicious movie about the way things are

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:54:53Taylor Sheridan — Taylor Sheridan - calls him the obvious winner because he literally won the movie and it jump started his 11+ year career
Chris Ryan▶ 1:54:35Taylor Sheridan — Taylor Sheridan - changed from initially having Benicio written down, argues it sent Sheridan on an incredible trajectory making him one of the most powerful people in entertainment
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:57:04Taylor Sheridan — Had Benicio written down but found the Taylor Sheridan case very compelling

Movies Referenced (75)

Heat (1995)

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 12:57IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Traffic (2000)

9 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 22:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Apocalypse Now (1979)

8 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 5:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Limitless (2011)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 3:24IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Revenant (2015)

8 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 15:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Enemy (2013)

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 27:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fast Five (2011)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 1:38:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Martian (2015)

6 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 12:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Prisoners (2013)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey▶ 13:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Aliens (1986)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 2:04:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Arrival (2016)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 27:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jaws (1975)

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons▶ 43:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (10)

Denis Villeneuve

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Blade Runner 2049▶ 2:19IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ridley Scott

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for The Martian, Blade Runner▶ 4:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Felipe Fernández del Paso

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for From Dusk Till Dawn, Desperado▶ 43:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mann

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Insider, Collateral, The Last of the Mohicans▶ 13:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Christopher Nolan

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Tenet, Interstellar, Inception▶ 13:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Juan Diego Medellin

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Extraction▶ 1:01:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Paul Thomas Anderson

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Punch-Drunk Love, Licorice Pizza, There Will Be Blood▶ 23:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Robert Zemeckis

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Back to the Future, Forrest Gump, Contact▶ 12:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Stanley Kubrick

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon▶ 4:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

W.K. Border

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (52)

Kate Winslet

34 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Revolutionary Road, Titanic▶ 6:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Benicio Del Toro

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Sicario, The Usual Suspects, Traffic▶ 2:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Emily Blunt

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Edge of Tomorrow, The Devil Wears Prada, The Adjustment Bureau▶ 2:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jon Bernthal

10 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Wolf of Wall Street, King Richard, Fury▶ 34:05IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leopoldo Juarez

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Black Widow, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings▶ 41:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Graver

9 mentions · Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons · Known for Cinderella Man▶ 6:43IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Josh Brolin

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for No Country for Old Men▶ 2:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

River Phoenix

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast▶ 26:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Tom Hardy

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Inception, The Dark Knight Rises▶ 36:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Krasinski

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for A Quiet Place▶ 1:14:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Daniel Kaluuya

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Get Out, Black Panther▶ 14:20IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeffrey Donovan

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Changeling, Sicario: Day of the Soldado▶ 41:39IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (4)

Taylor Sheridan

8 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Hell or High Water, Wind River▶ 2:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Ebert

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 36:56IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Matt Greenberg

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Reign of Fire▶ 1:16:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Nic Pizzolatto

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Magnificent Seven▶ 1:18:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (3)

Michael Grantland

4 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Other Guys▶ 2:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Roger Deakins

2 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Blade Runner 2049, Skyfall, No Country for Old Men▶ 27:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zach Graber

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for We Are Your Friends▶ 31:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗