Jason KingCopOut (3/10)
March 18th 2010 04:44
:
Woeful!
Category: No Category
COP OUT starring Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Sean William Scott and Jason Lee. Not only a great sounding cast but also an intensely funny director in Kevin Smith. It should be noted that is also my first review as a roving reporter for Cinefools.com.
COP OUT features two long-time NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card who find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. But before they can recover the prized `52 Pafko, they must first rescue a Mexican beauty that holds the key to millions of dollars in offshore bank accounts--and who has already witnessed one high-profile murder because of them. Veteran detective Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) needs to cash in on his perfect Pafko in order to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding, but in the tradition of everything that can go wrong...it's pilfered before he has a chance to collect. Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) is Jimmy's "partner-against-crime," whose preoccupation with his wife's alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball, or his mind on the crime. Already in trouble and with nothing left to lose, Jimmy and Paul will have to break all the rules - including enlisting the aid of stoner thief Dave (Seann William Scott), who's working Paul's last nerve as Paul and Jimmy try to work the case.
Cop out is an idiom meaning to avoid taking responsibility for an action or to avoid fulfilling a duty. And the film lives up to it's title with aplomb. It never once reaches the heights of the cop buddy comedy films of the 80's and is so lame in its delivery I am surprised it even received a cinematic release.
The word homage is thrown around a few times in the film and I am wondering if Smith was trying to create homage to the older buddy films but even this does not seem accurate. Tracy Morgan is like Eddie Murphy on bad crack and appears to only be capable of one character, He is loud, stupid and obnoxious - in the opening scene of the film he interrogates a suspect while using lines from an array of previous films - he is so over the top that neither myself, or viewing partner in crime Seb, could understand a word coming out of his mouth. Willis even states most of the films after he "acts" them as though he is an interpreter for the audience. And I could not see the humour in Morgan doing an entire chase scene dressed as a mobile phone. What I did find humorous was seeing him punch an 11yr old car thief in the stomach after the kid kicks him in the nuts. I was crying with laughter.
Willis is the deadpan action man of the film but he is lacking in anything Willis or McClane like and I could swear there were scenes I could see the question on his face "what the bloody hell am I doing here?" It is below even what he is willing to stoop to for a pay check. For me one person steals the show, and he only has a very small part. Seann William Scott had me laughing my head off in nearly every scene he was in. It was a very easy role for him to play and his mimicking of Hodges (Morgan) is hysterical, if you get to watch it make sure you stay during the credits for one of his funniest scenes. The majority of his scenes are improvised and they were great.
There are also some odd notable performances from Adam Brody (OC fame) and his partner of boot loving expertise, Kevin Pollak, as Hunsaker and Mangold. I found them remotely reminiscent of Rosewood and Taggart from Beverly Hills Cop but still out of place.
I expected a lot more from Kevin Smith with this film but it should be noted it is the first film he has directed that he did not write, and what goes through my head when thinking of this is "what did he see when reading the screenplay?" I cannot answer this question for the life of me. When Kevin Smith was interviewed re the film he stated that the appeal was there because he knew it would be a film his father would have enjoyed - I can buy this. I do give him credit for pulling Harold Faltermeyerr out of retirement to write the soundtrack - it definitely has a Beverly Hills Cop sound to it.
This is nothing to race out for and to be honest I would not recommend it unless you are at home and delirious with the flu and want something that has some funny bits but generally requires no thinking what so ever. Out this Thursday 18th March and as the poster says, "Rock out with your Glock out". Thanks for reading and as Seb asked me to sign out - Until next time I hope your popcorn is salted
. Worth (3/10)
COP OUT features two long-time NYPD partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card who find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed gangster. But before they can recover the prized `52 Pafko, they must first rescue a Mexican beauty that holds the key to millions of dollars in offshore bank accounts--and who has already witnessed one high-profile murder because of them. Veteran detective Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) needs to cash in on his perfect Pafko in order to pay for his daughter's upcoming wedding, but in the tradition of everything that can go wrong...it's pilfered before he has a chance to collect. Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) is Jimmy's "partner-against-crime," whose preoccupation with his wife's alleged infidelity makes it hard for him to keep his eye on the ball, or his mind on the crime. Already in trouble and with nothing left to lose, Jimmy and Paul will have to break all the rules - including enlisting the aid of stoner thief Dave (Seann William Scott), who's working Paul's last nerve as Paul and Jimmy try to work the case.
Cop out is an idiom meaning to avoid taking responsibility for an action or to avoid fulfilling a duty. And the film lives up to it's title with aplomb. It never once reaches the heights of the cop buddy comedy films of the 80's and is so lame in its delivery I am surprised it even received a cinematic release.
The word homage is thrown around a few times in the film and I am wondering if Smith was trying to create homage to the older buddy films but even this does not seem accurate. Tracy Morgan is like Eddie Murphy on bad crack and appears to only be capable of one character, He is loud, stupid and obnoxious - in the opening scene of the film he interrogates a suspect while using lines from an array of previous films - he is so over the top that neither myself, or viewing partner in crime Seb, could understand a word coming out of his mouth. Willis even states most of the films after he "acts" them as though he is an interpreter for the audience. And I could not see the humour in Morgan doing an entire chase scene dressed as a mobile phone. What I did find humorous was seeing him punch an 11yr old car thief in the stomach after the kid kicks him in the nuts. I was crying with laughter.
Willis is the deadpan action man of the film but he is lacking in anything Willis or McClane like and I could swear there were scenes I could see the question on his face "what the bloody hell am I doing here?" It is below even what he is willing to stoop to for a pay check. For me one person steals the show, and he only has a very small part. Seann William Scott had me laughing my head off in nearly every scene he was in. It was a very easy role for him to play and his mimicking of Hodges (Morgan) is hysterical, if you get to watch it make sure you stay during the credits for one of his funniest scenes. The majority of his scenes are improvised and they were great.
There are also some odd notable performances from Adam Brody (OC fame) and his partner of boot loving expertise, Kevin Pollak, as Hunsaker and Mangold. I found them remotely reminiscent of Rosewood and Taggart from Beverly Hills Cop but still out of place.
I expected a lot more from Kevin Smith with this film but it should be noted it is the first film he has directed that he did not write, and what goes through my head when thinking of this is "what did he see when reading the screenplay?" I cannot answer this question for the life of me. When Kevin Smith was interviewed re the film he stated that the appeal was there because he knew it would be a film his father would have enjoyed - I can buy this. I do give him credit for pulling Harold Faltermeyerr out of retirement to write the soundtrack - it definitely has a Beverly Hills Cop sound to it.
This is nothing to race out for and to be honest I would not recommend it unless you are at home and delirious with the flu and want something that has some funny bits but generally requires no thinking what so ever. Out this Thursday 18th March and as the poster says, "Rock out with your Glock out". Thanks for reading and as Seb asked me to sign out - Until next time I hope your popcorn is salted
. Worth (3/10)| 53 |
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Comment by Rix
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Thanks for the comment Sammy and you suck btw.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
i don't mind Smith especially on his college tours, but an action film is to much for him to handle. IMO he is a talkies Director who needs to keep it basic.
Amazed Sean William Scott still find work.
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
I won't say NO to a free film
But the cost of bus tickets was very frustrating - hahaha
Avoid this one like the plague or you might shoot yourself in the head - it's a million times worse than The Blind Side