# Release and reception of film By Any Means

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/release-and-reception-of-film-by-any-means
> Updated: 2026-09-17T02:09:00.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

The crime drama film ‘By Any Means,’ directed by Elegance Bratton, is set in 1966 Mississippi. The narrative follows an uneasy partnership between a Black FBI agent, Wayne Strider, and a violent mafia hitman, Gregory Scarpa, as they investigate the murder of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer.

Critical reception of the film has highlighted an uneven tone. Reviews describe the work as oscillating between a serious look at justice during the American civil rights era and a mismatched buddy-cop action comedy, noting that the shift between intense violence and comedic elements can create a jarring experience.

## Timeline

### 2026-09-17: By Any Means film explores 1960s Mississippi crime

‘By Any Means’ is a buddy-cop action comedy set in 1966 Mississippi, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Mark Wahlberg as an FBI agent and a mobster investigating a civil rights-era murder.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/by-any-means-film-explores-1960s-mississippi-crime

### 2026-09-03: By Any Means crime drama follows FBI agent and hitman in 1966 Mississippi

“By Any Means” is a crime drama set in 1966 Mississippi, following a Black FBI agent and a mafia hitman as they team up to investigate the murder of a civil rights leader.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/by-any-means-crime-drama-follows-fbi-agent-and-hitman-in-1966-mississippi

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Cite as: Release and reception of film By Any Means. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/release-and-reception-of-film-by-any-means