PAPER TIGER

Paper Tiger Turns Two Brothers’ American Dream Into a Criminal Nightmare

Two brothers saw an opportunity to change their lives.

They had no idea how much it would cost them.

Paper Tiger stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller in a crime drama about ambition, family loyalty and the dangerous consequences of trusting the wrong people.

Set in 1980s Queens, New York, the story follows two brothers — an engineer and a former police officer — who are determined to build a better future for themselves and their family.

Like countless Americans chasing financial security, they believe they've finally found an opportunity that could change everything.

A business deal that seems almost too good to be true.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what it is.

After becoming involved in the promising venture, the brothers witness a crime that pulls them into the dangerous world of the Russian mafia.

What began as a chance to improve their lives quickly becomes a nightmare as they find themselves entangled with a ruthless criminal organization.

And walking away isn't nearly as simple as they imagined.

As the situation grows increasingly dangerous, the brothers struggle to protect their family while navigating threats from people who have no intention of letting them escape.

But the pressure doesn't just come from the criminals surrounding them.

It begins tearing their own family apart.

The brothers' relationship is tested as fear, desperation and conflicting decisions create tensions that threaten the bond they've shared their entire lives.

With their suburban family caught in the middle, every attempt to regain control seems to push them deeper into a situation that could have devastating consequences.

Written and directed by James Gray, known for The Immigrant, Ad Astra and Armageddon Time, Paper Tiger explores the darker side of the American Dream through a story about two ordinary men whose pursuit of success leads them into extraordinary danger.

At its heart, the film examines what happens when the promise of a better life collides with the realities of greed, crime and the difficult choices people make to protect those they love.

The brothers wanted financial freedom.

Instead, they may lose the one thing money was supposed to protect — their family.

Paper Tiger opens in select U.S. theaters November 13, 2026, before expanding nationwide November 20.