Wacky’s Movie Review: Cop Out

Entertainment — February 26, 2010 at 19:14

The Plot

This typical cop/buddy flick features Bruce Willis as Jimmy Monroe, a New York City police detective whose daughter Ava (Michelle Trachtenberg) is about to march down the aisle. He wants to bankroll a fancy wedding via the sale of his rare Pafko baseball card, but things get sticky when the card gets stolen. Meanwhile, Monroe’s cop partner Paul Hodges, played by comedian Tracy Morgan, has life stresses of his own, as he thinks his wife is being unfaithful. Already having lost their badges for a few days due to a mess-up on the job, they decide, together, with the assistance of dorky thief.Dave, to find out who took the Pafko and solve other crime-related problems along the way.

The Good

* Willis and Morgan play well off each other, although they’re nowhere close to being as entertaining a match as Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker
* Seann William Scott steals every scene he appears in
* It has some decent moments of humor
* Fairly enjoyable to watch
* Composer Harold Faltermeyer’s funky score is reminiscent of the kind of music in ’80’s cop/buddy flicks
* Well directed by Kevin Smith, although there are some who may disagree

The Not-So-Bad

* Sometimes you just need something mindlessly dopey to watch instead of some dreary sci-fi flick or “deep meaning” film that requires you to think too much. Once this comes out on video, it’s sure to become a favorite of beer-guzzling couch potatoes everywhere.

The Kinda’ Ugly

* Tracy Morgan’s brand of humor isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. To be honest, his voice can be grating on the nerves in large doses.
* It would have been nicer to have seen less cliches instead of seeing the same predictable formula you expect in most cop/buddy movies