Cop Out Review
by Jerry Saravia (faustus_08520 AT yahoo DOT com)February 13th, 2011
COP OUT (2010)
Reviewed by Jerry Saravia
RATING: One star and a half
Kevin Smith has been an influential force in the independent film community. There was a time when nobody could talk about anything but "Clerks." Since that 1994 comedy, there has been critical praise (myself included) for "Chasing Amy," "Zack and Miri Make a Porno," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." "Cop Out" is the first Kevin Smith film to not include his screenwriting skills. I think those skills might have elevated this stinker beyond the bowels of turdland.
With typically wisecracking, bald-headed Bruce Willis and foaming-at- the-mouth-to-elucidate-every syllable Tracy Morgan headlining the cast, this should be a winning buddy-buddy cop comedy. The problem is the movie is eager to explode with the usual cliches that have since become a bore and a trial and half to sit through. The cops are after a drug dealer. Tracy Morgan dresses up as a cell phone. Willis is tough but getting too old for this...you get the picture. The cops have caused a ruckus, let the bad guys get away and we get the standard scene of giving up your shield and gun. The cops still want to pursue the drug dealer, mainly because a precious baseball card was stolen by a junkie (Seann William Scott) and...need I go on?
"Cop Out" has precious few hallmarks of Kevin Smith's writing, most likely improvised or suggested by Smith. One example is Bruce Willis standing outside the window of the interrogation room and naming the titles of all the films Tracy Morgan is acting out against a suspect. One of them is from "Die Hard" which Willis's character has not seen. That is funny. I also like the far too precious screen time of Seann William Scott who has a habit of repeating exactly what another person says to him. Other than that, the film wastes the great talent of Rashida Jones in a throwaway role. "Cop Out" is exactly what the title implies, and less. The canceled TV show, "The Good Guys," was funnier and tighter-paced.
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