Cop Out

As the credits rolled at the end of Cop Out the group of kids* in front of me proclaimed “that shit was awesome, hilarious…now lets go smoke another bowl* ”.

I knew I forgot to do something before I left the house.

Cop Out stars Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan as Jimmy and Paul, 2 New York City cops who have been partners for 9 years! Yeah, 9 years! I only mention this because it was the first thing we find out about the two and I'm not sure why. One of the first things they teach you as a screenwriter (so I’m told) is not to come out and state simple expository information like “ gee Martha, how long is it that we’ve been married, 40 years?”, but that’s just what you get. I guess screenwriters Mark and Robb Cullen, both television producers by trade, were setting a tone. The story unfolds like a poorly drawn cop show, but as luck would have it we don't have the option of changing the channel.

The gimmick here is Paul (Tracy Morgan) likes to pay homage to every kind of movie he's seen, while doing his cop thing. This offered some funny moments but unfortunately it was overdone in the very first scene. Like Paul, we can also then assume that Cop Out is attempting to pay homage to buddy cop films of yester-year but it lacks the one thing that all old buddy cop films possessed.

Heart.

Now, I feel kind of silly as I write that, but there was something special about movies like Lethal Weapon, Beverly Hills Cop even Turner & Hooch…..While Cop Out tries to have fun with the buddy cop genre the only two that are having any real fun are the Cullen brothers…as they laugh all the way to the bank.

And yet, I don’t think they're entirely to blame. It’s all about execution, right?

Kevin Smith takes on his first director-for-hire endeavor and I was less than impressed. Now any real fan of Smith is less than concerned with Mise- en-scene, I’m sure, but at least try to use the film camera as more than a recording device. I was hoping that not having the daunting task of writing AND directing would allow him to flex his directing chops a little bit and grow as a filmmaker here, but it didn’t.

I think he decided to throw in the towel when Watchmen came out on Blu-Ray.

Smith’s early stuff was so on point. Chasing Amy, I think, is an absolutely wonderful movie that everyone should see. Clerks is decent, and has an inspiring story behind it*, and Mallrats and Dogma are interesting and funny flicks. An evening with Kevin Smith cracks me up more than most comedies that come out every year. A fat nerd who loves movies and poop and dick jokes turned himself into an icon (really, people worship Kevin Smith on a level I don’t understand). Lately though, Smith has come across as a big Hollywood pussy (I mean no disrespect Mr. Smith, cause I respect you… and I would be happy to purchase you lunch and watch you eat it if you’ll let me) and the past 10 years has been rather disappointing.

My Vote- You know how when someone drives a shitty car they always smirk and say “it gets me from point A to point B”. Cop Out is kinda like Kevin Smith’s shitty car.

*17 or 18 year olds…unfortunately these are kids to me now.
**They were high on drugs you nerds.
***Smith financed Clerks on his credit card for something like $27,000.