With the most on the nose name of any movie this year, Let's Be Cops plot can be summed up in this one, wonderfully high concept sentenc...
With the most on the nose name of any movie this year, Let's Be Cops plot can be summed up in this one, wonderfully high concept sentence: a pair of slackers pretend to be police officers. The slackers in question are Justin (Damon Wayans Jr.) and Ryan (Jake Johnson), two thirty something best friends who find a new lease of life when they are mistaken for cops after a disastrous costume party. Milking the new found attention and respect for all it's worth, they soon in the cross hairs of a dangerous gang, and realise they have bitten off more they can chew.
Having already worked together on t.v. show New Girl, Johnson and Wayans Jr. display some fantastic chemistry, the movie at it's best when the pair are on screen together. Wayans Jr. is the straight man to Johnson's bundle of chaotic energy, and Justin begrudgingly going along with any crazy idea that pops into his friends head garners the biggest share of laughs. Some of the scrapes they get into are inspired, especially Ryan driving a police car into the middle of a children's football game to prove he isn't a loser, and the cast are clearly having tons of fun with the concept. But the fun soon steps aside for the story, and the movie begins to fall apart. There is a serious clash of tones when the pair take on James D'arcy's gang of Russian mobsters, with the movie taking an ill advised turn for the heavy and dramatic, bringing to mind similar action comedies of the 80's. With the villain's scheme eerily similar to the plot of Lethal Weapon 3, any time spent on it slows the movie to a crawl making it feel a lot longer than it's 104 minute run time. Also ill advised is a romance between Justin and Nina Dobrev's Josie which never rings true, and seems to advance itself while we aren't looking.
As I've said, the cast have a lot of fun with the concept. Johnson and Wayans Jr. are totally likable as the lead pair, with Johnson especially showing he has what it takes as a comedy leading man. Rob Riggle tones it down from what we usually see from him, but he is good in support as Officer Seagars, a police officer who fully falls for Justin and Ryans illegal masquerade. James D'arcy and Andy Gracia do well as the villains, but they do ultimately feel horribly one note. Dobrev doesn't make much of an impression either.
A fantastically high concept main idea doesn't fit well with the more serious turns the plot takes, but there is still a lot of fun to be had with Let's Be Cop, mainly down to a lead pair who really have fun with what they given.
Having already worked together on t.v. show New Girl, Johnson and Wayans Jr. display some fantastic chemistry, the movie at it's best when the pair are on screen together. Wayans Jr. is the straight man to Johnson's bundle of chaotic energy, and Justin begrudgingly going along with any crazy idea that pops into his friends head garners the biggest share of laughs. Some of the scrapes they get into are inspired, especially Ryan driving a police car into the middle of a children's football game to prove he isn't a loser, and the cast are clearly having tons of fun with the concept. But the fun soon steps aside for the story, and the movie begins to fall apart. There is a serious clash of tones when the pair take on James D'arcy's gang of Russian mobsters, with the movie taking an ill advised turn for the heavy and dramatic, bringing to mind similar action comedies of the 80's. With the villain's scheme eerily similar to the plot of Lethal Weapon 3, any time spent on it slows the movie to a crawl making it feel a lot longer than it's 104 minute run time. Also ill advised is a romance between Justin and Nina Dobrev's Josie which never rings true, and seems to advance itself while we aren't looking.
As I've said, the cast have a lot of fun with the concept. Johnson and Wayans Jr. are totally likable as the lead pair, with Johnson especially showing he has what it takes as a comedy leading man. Rob Riggle tones it down from what we usually see from him, but he is good in support as Officer Seagars, a police officer who fully falls for Justin and Ryans illegal masquerade. James D'arcy and Andy Gracia do well as the villains, but they do ultimately feel horribly one note. Dobrev doesn't make much of an impression either.
A fantastically high concept main idea doesn't fit well with the more serious turns the plot takes, but there is still a lot of fun to be had with Let's Be Cop, mainly down to a lead pair who really have fun with what they given.
