Cop Out is clearly
a heartfelt homage (a word Tracey Morgan's character clearly struggles
to say) to the 1980s genre which made Eddie Murphy a star.
Director
Kevin Smith (Clerks, Jay & Silent Bob
Strike Back) delivers a nostalgic action comedy about two longtime NYPD
partners on the trail of a stolen, rare, mint-condition baseball card
who find themselves up against a merciless, memorabilia-obsessed
gangster.
Bruce Willis is at his monotoned best as Jimmy (a
veteran detective whose missing collectible is his only hope to pay for
his daughter's upcoming wedding), while Tracy Morgan (who is brilliant
in small doses on 30 Rock but
slightly irritating after 90 minutes of babbling) plays Jimmy's
"partner against crime" whose is obsessed with uncovering his wife's
(the stunning and super hot Rashida Jones) alleged
infidelity. While most will just take Cop Out for what it is (a poor man's The Other Guys), those in the know will
understand there is far more riding on Cop
Out than simply a "Good Movie" or "Bad Movie" tag. Kevin
Smith is notoriously picky about his words, scripts and distributors - so not
only is Cop Out
a major turning point in his career from a cast and budget
perspective... but also from a studio (it's his first major
non-Weinstein flick) and script perspective - because this puppy has
been doing the rounds for years (with Will Ferrell and even Robin
Williams attached to it at one stage). It's a studio comedy in every sense
of the word, and it's for this reason and this reason alone, that Cop Out falls flat far more often that it
probably should. The
reason being, there are really two flicks happening here : one a
genuinely solid Kevin Smith genre flick, the other a poor Robin William's
vehicle.
When Cop Out is
in full blown 1980s buddy cop mode - complete with authentic synth
musical score and some dark, gritty violence - it's quality Dragnet meets Beverley Hills Cop meets 48
Hours stuff. However whenever it diverges from that path, the pacing of
the flick really takes a kick in the guts.
The
two styles - sadly - just don't mesh, ultimately leaving the audience
having to ride the roller coaster of excitement, boredom and confusion
when Cop Out switches from a
free flowing action comedy (complete with an excellent Judge
Reinhold-esque performance from Adam Brody) to a cameo heavy Superbowl
Commercial / Comedy skit (a rather forced reference to Die Hard in the film's opening interrogation
scene and a stand out cameo from Seann William Scott). That
said, there is a lot to like here when Kevin Smith does get it
right (aside from some rather sloppy editing at times) with Cop Out
genuinely feeling like it could happily lead the way for several
kick-ass sequels thanks to a solid and well rounded cast of
characters. General
punters will take it or leave it, fans of 1980s cop flicks will adore
it, while Smith fans will likely still secretly be pining for a cameo
from Jay & Silent Bob. DVD Special Features
Kevin Smith is generally pretty kind when it comes to DVD extras, and the DVD
/ Blu Ray Editions are no different.
Included
here (on Blu Ray at least) is the Maximum Movie Mode with Kevin Smith
and Seann William Scott, as well as Never-before-seen extended scenes
and outtakes, Picture-in-picture moments with Kevin Smith and Seann
William Scott.
There are also "Walk-ons" by Kevin Smith, a funny
little featurette called "Wisdom from the S*** Bandit" and a bunch of
Factoids about the movie and other information.
It's not a classic yet -
but could make a name for itself in the years to come. So look at this as an
"investment".
Conclusion:
Movie 65% Extras: 65%
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