Let's Be Cops

Dir: Luke Greenfield

2014

*

2014’s Let’s Be Cops is all concept and no story. I actually quite liked the premise and the first few minutes of Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans,Jr. abusing their assumed power was genuinely funny, the only problem is that they had nothing to back it up with, they squandered their only idea far too early and had nothing else to give. If they had develop the film so that it lasted for one night that would see the pair go from one funny situation to another it could have been a comedy classic, instead, they tried to be serious and attached a rubbish story to it. Even then, the concept wasn’t exactly thought out particularly well either, I’m not sure going into an exclusive club dressed as a cop is really going to get you positive attention – far from it I would have thought. There is very little chemistry between Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans,Jr. and Johnson does all of the hard work by far. Everything about the script was predictable and the very first joke (and every one thereafter) was stolen from elsewhere. Everything from Borat to the episode of Friends where Joey accidentally stars in a VD commercial (‘The One Where Underdog Get Away’ Friends fans) is ripped off and the film feels like an overlong bad episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. I was going to say that it felt like it was written by a 12 year old boy but actually it doesn’t, I feels like it was written by a grown man who still acts like a 12 year old boy and that is exactly what it is and that is the only demographic it will appeal to. Each character is a stereotype, most insultingly so, but I think women come off worst. Every female character within the film are nothing but possible sexual interactions by the two leads and every single one throws themselves at them with very little dialogue or character development. It’s pretty insulting if you ask me. It’s not a film one should take too seriously but when my time is wasted watching utter garbage like this (and I’m respectful enough to see it through) I will have my say, and you know what, kids watch this crap, you have to call it out for the nonsense it is. I think what I’m most disappointed by (apart from Andy Garcia making yet another terrible film) is that the film wasted such a great opportunity. An ‘After Hours’ style night of realisation while dressed as cops, could have been something special that appealed to a much larger audience and covered the genres it stomps through properly. It could have been a series of sketches, indeed the concept probably would have worked better as a ‘Saturday Night Live’ series of sketches but at least it would have been snappy and fresh. It felt like a good idea was had, was subsequently forgotten about – perhaps while celebrating the good idea had – and then written from the wreckage of broken memories. Maybe I give it too much credit, it was probably written on the spot and sounded dumb enough to make money, which of course it did. That really annoys me. The concept is enough, throw out a trailer with all the funny bits and people come. The studio know its crap, the crew know its crap, Damon Wayans. Jr. probably doesn’t know its crap but it makes money anyway, too late audience, no refunds. You’ll forget all about it – because it’s a forgettable film – and you’ll pay to see the next piece of garbage they make next month. Let’s Be Cops made $138.2 million, against a budget of $17 million. That my friends, is absurd.