Let’s Be Cops * (2014, Jake Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr) – Movie Review

Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr play struggling buddies Ryan and Justin, who dress up as cops for a costume party, become babe magnet somebodies, and keep the charade going after buying a cop car on ebay, hunting down some real criminals. Wayan’s badge says he’s Chang, which leads to a lot of racist jokes, which add dishonourably to the sexist and homophobic ones. Though, nowadays of course, they don’t feel they can dare go too far along these lines. so you can just feel the strain of them holding back.

Co-writer/director Luke Greenfield’s thin, lame, shamefully gun-happy movie scatters four-letter words and bad attitudes instead of wit and fun across the screen. The Jump Street-style male-bonding cop comedy raises virtually no laughs, with Johnson coming over aggressively unfunny and the expert daft comic Wayans stuck straitjacketed in the mostly serious, reactive sidekick role. But they are on Oscar winning form compared with Andy Garcia, who’s fallen on hard times if glumly playing dirty detective Brolin is the best work he can get.

Wayans remains likeable in an agreeable and effective silly performance, Rob Riggle does well as ‘real’ good cop Segar, while Londoner James D’Arcy just about gets away with his American accent and OTT uber-tough turn as the mobster bad guy Mossi.

Uncool, unfunny, guys.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Movie Review

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