Jamie Foxx plays Bud Jablonski, a pool cleaner in Los Angeles who secretly hunts vampires. That setup sounds like a winner. The execution doesn’t quite land.
Trailer, via Netflix.
Bud’s Double Life
Bud lives paycheck to paycheck, trying to scrape together money for his kid’s tuition and braces. His job as a pool cleaner is a cover for hunting vampires, and he relies on it to keep his family fed. When a man leaves the house of his target, Bud breaks in and kills two vampires — an elderly woman and a younger man — after a long fight.
He tries to sell their fangs to a pawn shop owner named Troy, but the owner scoffs at the offer. Bud’s old army friend, Big John Elliot, helps him reconnect with the vampire-hunting union. Union boss Ralph Seeger gives him a trial period on the day shift, which pays less, and puts a supervisor named Seth over him to watch for code violations.
Audrey’s Plan
The corpses of the two vampires are found by Audrey, a wealthy vampire. She investigates and figures out Bud is the one who killed them. She muses that humans used to worship vampires as gods, then reveals her plan to rebuild vampire colonies and raise an army. She turns Seth into a vampire after he’s caught by her.
Bud and Seth hunt an unusual nest filled with several kinds of vampires. Seth doesn’t report Bud’s union violations after learning about his financial troubles and need to support his family. Audrey threatens Bud’s family, revealing the elderly vampire was her daughter. His ex-wife and daughter are taken hostage by Audrey.
Seth’s Turn
Bud rushes to save his ex-wife and daughter. Seth, meanwhile, is turned into a vampire by Audrey. Bud and Seth recruit Bud’s neighbor to help.
Where It Falls Short
The plot is thin. Bud’s struggle to support his family is meant to ground the action, but the stakes feel small next to Audrey’s grand plan. The humor lands inconsistently, and the horror leans more toward camp than dread.
The Cast
Foxx carries the picture, playing Bud with warmth and weariness. Dave Franco shows up as Seth, and Snoop Dogg appears as Big John Elliot. Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Meagan Good, Karla Souza, Steve Howey, Scott Adkins, Peter Stormare and Eric Lange round out the supporting cast.
A Mixed Debut
Day Shift is J.J. Perry’s directorial debut. Tyler Tice and Shay Hatten wrote it from Tice’s story. Netflix released it on August 12, 2022.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 12, 2022 | Netflix release |
The film received mixed reviews from critics.
What Works
- The premise is clever
- Foxx sells Bud’s desperation
- The action set pieces are energetic
What Doesn’t Work
- The plot is thin
- The horror leans toward camp
- The humor lands unevenly
Day Shift is a missed opportunity. The idea is better than the execution. It’s a film that knows exactly what it wants to be and can’t quite get there.
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