Summary

• Finestkind features a star-studded cast, including an Emmy nominee and Academy Award winner, bringing familiar faces and talent to the crime thriller drama.
• The film follows two brothers who turn to a Boston crime syndicate to pay off their debt, leading to unexpected conflict and trouble.
• The four central characters in the movie are Tom, Charlie, Mabel, and Ray, portrayed by Ben Foster, Toby Wallace, Jenna Ortega, and Tommy Lee Jones, respectively.

Finestkind features a cast comprised of an Emmy Award nominee, an Academy Award winner, a Critics' Choice Award nominee, and plenty of other familiar faces (and a handful of new ones). The 2023 crime thriller drama was directed and written by Brian Helgeland, most known for L.A. Confidential, Mystic River, and 42. The film tells the story of two brothers who work as fishermen in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and are unexpectedly forced to get involved with a Boston crime syndicate to pay a debt. Unfortunately, they get a little in over their heads, leading to shocking conflict and immense trouble — two things anyone can expect from a crime thriller.

The cast of Finestkind on Paramount+ includes Ben Foster as Tom Eldridge, Toby Wallace as Charlie Sykes, Jenna Ortega as Mabel, Tommy Lee Jones as Ray Eldridge, Ismael Cruz Córdova as Costa, Aaron Stanford as Skeemo, Scotty Tovar as Nunes, Tim Daly as Gary Sykes, Lolita Davidovich as Donna Sykes, and Clayne Crawford as Pete Weeks. These actors and actresses have roles that vary in significance in the movie. But the four central characters in the Paramount+ project are undoubtedly Tom, Charlie, Mabel, and Ray.

Ben Foster As Tom Eldridge

Ben Foster stars as Tom Eldridge, one of the two brothers at the center of the story, in Finestkind. Tom takes over for his father on his fishing boat, aptly called "Finestkind" in the film. His brother Charlie, whom he hasn't seen in a long time, seeks Tom out and asks him for a job, which Tom agrees to after Charlie explains that he wants to get closer to him. Unfortunately, Tom takes Charlie and his crew to Canadian waters one day to fish, and the Canadian Coast Guard catches them and reports them to the U.S. Coast Guard. Tom gets a $100,000 fine and ends up striking a deal with a gang to pay it off.

Before joining the cast of Finestkind, Foster appeared in numerous films. His most notable roles include The Punisher, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Messenger, Contraband, Lone Survivor, Leave No Trace, and 3:10 to Yuma. Recently, Foster starred as Tanner Howard in Hell or High Water, which won him an Independent Spirit Award and a Critics' Choice Award nomination for his role.

Toby Wallace As Charlie Sykes

Toby Wallace plays Charlie Sykes, Tom's younger brother, in the 2023 Paramount+ film. Charlie shows up out of the blue to reconnect with Tom. But his brother gets him into trouble when they and the Finestkind's fishermen crew journey into Canadian waters to fish and bring it back to the United States (which is illegal). Charlie's girlfriend, Mabel, helps the brothers connect with a Boston crime syndicate to pay off their $100,000 fine from the government. They strike a deal to smuggle drugs for the gang and get the money in return, but afterward, it doesn't seem like a one-time thing for Charlie.

Finestkind viewers might recognize Wallace from a plethora of different projects. The Australian actor starred in films like Return to Nim's Island, Boys in the Trees, Babyteeth, and The Royal Hotel. Wallace also appeared in the Australian soap opera Neighbours and the Netflix teen mystery television series The Society.

Jenna Ortega As Mabel

Jenna Ortega stars as Mabel, Charlie's girlfriend, in Finestkind. Mabel is involved with the Boston crime gang when viewers first meet her, and she pulls Charlie into that world when he tries to find a way to pay the $100,000 fine from the Canadian fishing incident. However, Mabel is trying to escape the life of crime, which puts her at odds with her love interest in the 2023 movie.

Ortega is most known for her roles as Ellie Alves in You, Tara Carpenter in the Scream franchise, and Wednesday Addams in Wednesday on Netflix. For playing Wednesday, Ortega is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. Some of the actress's other film and television credits include Jane the Virgin, Stuck in the Middle, The Babysitter: Killer Queen, Yes Day, The Fallout, and X. Additionally, Ortega is set to star as Winona Ryder's character's daughter in Beetlejuice 2 in 2024.

Tommy Lee Jones As Ray Eldridge

The final main star of Finestkind on Paramount+ is Tommy Lee Jones, who plays Ray Eldridge, Tom's father. Ray is very disappointed in his son when he learns about the $100,000 fine, especially because they might lose the boat. In one scene, Ray tells Tom, "I never should have trusted you. I do not understand the way you're built." To which Tom tearfully responds, "You built me!" The relationship between the father and son is complicated, as seen throughout the crime thriller movie.

Jones undoubtedly has an impressive film and television career, and Finestkind is only the latest film on his lengthy resume. The actor won an Academy Award for his role as Samuel Gerard in The Fugitive. But he has been nominated at the Oscars three other times and has many more award wins and nominations under his belt (including an Emmy for his performance in The Executioner's Song.) Jones is known for starring as Agent K in the Men in Black franchise, Two-Face in Batman Forever, Hawk in Space Cowboys, Sheriff Ed Tom Bell in No Country for Old Men, Colonel Chester Phillips in Captain America: The First Avenger, and many more.

Finestkind Supporting Cast & Characters

Ismael Cruz Córdova as Costa - Ismael Cruz Córdova stars as Costa, one of the fishermen in Finestkind. Before appearing in the 2023 crime thriller, Córdova starred in Ray Donovan, Berlin Station, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Mary Queen of Scots, The Good Wife, and The Mandalorian.

Aaron Stanford as Skeemo - Skeemo, played by Aaron Standford, is another fisherman in Finestkind. But the actor is most known for his role as Pyro in the X-Men film series, Birkhoff in Nikita, and James Cole in 12 Monkeys.

Scotty Tovar as Nunes - Scotty Tovar plays Nunes, a member of Tom's crew on the Finestkind, in the Paramount+ movie. Viewers might recognize the Tovar from The Fosters, Empire, The Mosquito Coast, or Gentlemen's Fury: Reloaded.

Tim Daly as Gary Sykes - Tim Daly stars as Gary Sykes, Charlie's father, but viewers will likely recognize him from playing Joe Hackett in Wings, J.T. Dolan in The Sopranos, Pete Wilder in Private Practice, or Henry McCord in Madam Secretary.

Lolita Davidovich as Donna Sykes - Lolita Davidovich portrays Donna Sykes, Tom and Charlie's mother, in the 2023 crime thriller drama. Before joining the Finestkind cast, Davidovich appeared in Blaze, Gods and Monsters, The Longest Ride, The L Word, True Detective, How to Get Away with Murder, and CSI: Vegas.

Clayne Crawford as Pete Weeks - The last member of Finestkind's supporting cast is Clayne Crawford, who plays Pete Weeks, the leader of the Boston gang. Viewers might recognize Crawford from films and shows such as Lethal Weapon, Rectify, A Walk to Remember, Swimfan, or Convergence.

Finestkind is now streaming on Paramount+.