In 2008, a Kevin Smith film became quite famous, even before its release, due to problems with the MPAA (aside from the actual rating, the posters and the title gave censors and advertisers more than one headache). That movie was Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and based on that evidence, similar fuss about his latest film being named Cop Out (slang for avoiding responsibilities) instead of the original A Couple of Dicks - a double entendre that at least tried to have some of the subtlety Zack and Miri threw out of the window - seemed to suggest another laugh-fest was in the making. Alas, the Cop Out that eventually made it to theaters is Smith's most disappointing picture to date (yep, even the generally derided Mallrats is better).
Drawing inspiration from '80s action films (hence Harold Feltermeyer's rather enjoyable score), the film tells the story of two NYPD cops, mismatched buddies Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) and Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan), who have managed to work together for nine years despite frequently driving each other crazy. The same can't be said for Jimmy's home life: he's divorced and about to face the humiliation of watching his daughter (Michelle Trachtenberg) get her wedding paid for by her stepfather (Jason Lee). The only option, it would seem, is to sell a rare baseball card. When said card gets stolen, Jimmy and Paul's investigation leads to them getting involved in something bigger, which has ties to one of their other cases. Oh, and the paranoid Paul is worried his wife (Rashida Jones) might be cheating on him.
On paper, this all sounds like a lot of fun. After all, Smith has virtually shaped his career on variations of the buddy movie formula, minus the action bits: Dante and Randal, Banky and Holden, Jay and Silent Bob, Zack and Miri. Why, then, doesn't Cop Out work on the same level? Part of the problem lies in the picture's tone, shifting between heartfelt tribute to the genre (the aforementioned soundtrack) and clumsy spoof. The biggest issue, however, is the fact that Smith didn't write the script himself. Instead, he took a screenplay by Robb and Mark Cullen and didn't bother polishing it, leaving the conventional plot and trite dialogue intact. Not surprisingly, the most amusing scene is the one where Paul "interrogates" a suspect by throwing out random movie quotes (although the Die Hard joke falls flat); everywhere else, the "original" writing struggles to elicit the same giggles.
And what of the acting, usually safe ground in the director's work (even Jennifer Lopez wasn't half bad in Jersey Girl)? Well, the smaller roles are, as ever, perfectly cast, from Lee's slimy stepfather to the hilarious detective duo played by Kevin Pollak and Adam Brody, not to mention a scene-stealing cameo by Seann William Scott on traditional, foul-mouthed form. The leads, on the other hand, are mismatched in terms of performance: while Willis is quite amusing (his trademark charm prevents him from being completely unlikable), Morgan's one-note shtick, which provides so many laugh-out-loud moments on 30 Rock, becomes grating when stretched over an entire film. No wonder his on-screen wife should feel tempted to have an affair.
Bottom line: Cop Out is an uneven mix of elements that work quite well separately but make for an unappealing blend if combined. Next time, Smith should stick to his own material: another View Askew story, maybe?
Drawing inspiration from '80s action films (hence Harold Feltermeyer's rather enjoyable score), the film tells the story of two NYPD cops, mismatched buddies Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) and Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan), who have managed to work together for nine years despite frequently driving each other crazy. The same can't be said for Jimmy's home life: he's divorced and about to face the humiliation of watching his daughter (Michelle Trachtenberg) get her wedding paid for by her stepfather (Jason Lee). The only option, it would seem, is to sell a rare baseball card. When said card gets stolen, Jimmy and Paul's investigation leads to them getting involved in something bigger, which has ties to one of their other cases. Oh, and the paranoid Paul is worried his wife (Rashida Jones) might be cheating on him.
On paper, this all sounds like a lot of fun. After all, Smith has virtually shaped his career on variations of the buddy movie formula, minus the action bits: Dante and Randal, Banky and Holden, Jay and Silent Bob, Zack and Miri. Why, then, doesn't Cop Out work on the same level? Part of the problem lies in the picture's tone, shifting between heartfelt tribute to the genre (the aforementioned soundtrack) and clumsy spoof. The biggest issue, however, is the fact that Smith didn't write the script himself. Instead, he took a screenplay by Robb and Mark Cullen and didn't bother polishing it, leaving the conventional plot and trite dialogue intact. Not surprisingly, the most amusing scene is the one where Paul "interrogates" a suspect by throwing out random movie quotes (although the Die Hard joke falls flat); everywhere else, the "original" writing struggles to elicit the same giggles.
And what of the acting, usually safe ground in the director's work (even Jennifer Lopez wasn't half bad in Jersey Girl)? Well, the smaller roles are, as ever, perfectly cast, from Lee's slimy stepfather to the hilarious detective duo played by Kevin Pollak and Adam Brody, not to mention a scene-stealing cameo by Seann William Scott on traditional, foul-mouthed form. The leads, on the other hand, are mismatched in terms of performance: while Willis is quite amusing (his trademark charm prevents him from being completely unlikable), Morgan's one-note shtick, which provides so many laugh-out-loud moments on 30 Rock, becomes grating when stretched over an entire film. No wonder his on-screen wife should feel tempted to have an affair.
Bottom line: Cop Out is an uneven mix of elements that work quite well separately but make for an unappealing blend if combined. Next time, Smith should stick to his own material: another View Askew story, maybe?