Spike Lee has directed some of Denzel Washington’s best movies, and they don’t disappoint with their latest collaboration, the New York-set crime thriller “Highest 2 Lowest.” Washington plays a music mogul whose son becomes the target of a kidnapper. He’s about to pay the ransom when he discovers that the criminal has actually snatched the son of his driver by mistake. He has to decide between keeping his fortune or securing the release of his friend’s son. The film boasts appearances from the likes of A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice, but the best surprise may just be Dean Winters, aka the Allstate Mayhem commercial guy.

Winters has starred in some great Allstate Mayhem commercials over the years, causing chaos in hilarious fashion. Whether he’s a distracted teen driver or a lazy guard dog, he’s the unpredictable mayhem that can upend your life unless you have the right insurance. But he’s also a regular actor, having appeared in a slew of films and TV shows over the years. In “Highest 2 Lowest,” he plays Detective Higgins, one of the cops on the kidnapping case who’s a bit more abrasive than his colleagues. His no-nonsense attitude leads to some memorable moments, with Winters playing the cop as very uncouth during serious moments.

Dean Winters was hesitant about becoming the Allstate Mayhem guy when he was first approached about the gig, but he’s since embraced the character. When asked by “CBS Sunday Morning” if he minds getting recognized for the commercials, Winters said, “I wouldn’t have the lifestyle I live if it wasn’t for people watching the commercials, watching the TV shows and movies, paying for their insurance. So, every time someone stops me, my first thought is, ‘Oh, this person is helping me pay my mortgage.'” Seeing as Winters is a good sport about his commercial work, it might explain why “Highest 2 Lowest” has a subtle nod to the long-running Allstate Mayhem campaign.

When David King (Denzel Washington) and Paul Christopher (Jeffrey Wright) decide to take matters into their own hands and get David’s money back from the kidnapper, Paul brings a gun along for “insurance,” as he puts it. To keep the joke going, he refers to his gun as “Jake from State Farm.” The true punchline comes a little later when Paul produces a second gun, and, sticking with the insurance theme, he calls it “Mayhem.” Mayhem is a good name for a gun in general, but, in this instance, it’s also a shout-out to Winters’ most iconic role, one he’s described as “the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”