Musician-turned-filmmaker RZA and screenwriter Paul Cuschieri team up for a blistering takedown on post-Katrina FEMA relief work in New Orleans.

This has a rich sense of place and an incredible cast of supporting actors.

I do think that Shameik Moore does a lot to ground the emotions of this film... It's fun moment-to-moment and it has a strong sense of character, but the overall piece is a little bit messy.

Cut Throat City wants to be both a heist film and a portrait of post-Katrina New Orleans, and while it’s not quite there as either one, it remains watchable thanks largely to its stacked cast and RZA’s competent direction.