Let’s Be Cops desperately wants to be the next Lethal Weapon or Rush Hour. However, while it may not be as memorable as the former or as financially successful as the latter, the film nevertheless puts the tried-and-true buddy cop subgenre (and all its conventions) to use. Despite what the majority of critics are saying (the film is currently sitting at a harsh 20% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), Let’s Be Cops may be more worthwhile than some moviegoers may think.
In the film, New Girl stars Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. play unlucky-in-life best friends Ryan and Justin, who decide on a whim to attend a masquerade (not the same as a costume party, by the way) dressed as police officers. Dejected and more miserable than ever, they wander the streets afterwards and discover that passers-by mistake them for actual cops. From then on, the duo decide to impersonate officers of the law, with Ryan especially savoring his newfound “calling.” Of course, what starts as a fun ruse turns deadly when he and Justin became mixed up with some very deadly druglords, led by Mossi (James D’Arcy).
If the plot of Let’s Be Cops sounds familiar, it’s probably because of its thematic similarities to a slew of other comedies of error, such as Three Amigos and Tropic Thunder. The character arcs for both of its leads fit the standard buddy cop template to a tee, from the practical straight man/reckless wild card duality of the two to the lessons of empowerment that each one learns by the time the credits roll. It’s not a spoiler to say that the film is as predictable as it looks, but the astonishing thing is that the film is a great deal of fun anyway.
Johnson and Wayans while clearly a long way from marquee names, do possess a great deal of chemistry onscreen, and both have a blast with the material they’re given, fully embracing the unabashed silliness of the film. Wayans in particular earns some strong laughs, especially in a sequence that sees his anxiety-ridden character enter the enemy’s lair incognito. By and large, the humor is low-brow and without much sharp wit to speak of, but the cast is so game to make fools of themselves here that it’s hard not to chuckle.
Yet, despite the high volume of jokes in Let’s Be Cops, the film makes a wise move in keeping its villain a threat throughout. D’Arcy’s performance here is over-the-top and his character is one-dimensional, but he does manage to bring some life and genuine terror to that dimension. Mossi is painted as a psychotic killer who is liable to slaughter a man without reason or provocation, and his ability to strike terror in the film’s heroes lends the light-hearted narrative a sliver of suspense that it needs to keep the audience engaged.
Meanwhile, Rob Riggle – who has a tendency to steal scenes in films like The Hangover and 21 Jump Street – delivers a more earnest performance than some fans may be expecting, and Keegan-Michael Key contributes a memorable supporting role worthy of his sketch comedy work on Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. The only major disappointment among the cast is Andy Garcia, whose considerable talents are underused and under-served by the film’s script.
Sure, Let’s Be Cops may be a predictable action comedy and pales in comparison to similar fare, like this summer’s 22 Jump Street. Yes, some of the jokes fall flat, and okay, the film isn’t doing anything particularly fresh or ambitious with its material. Regardless, moviegoers simply looking for a few laughs and a film with no deeper agenda than to be a fun watch could do far worse than Let’s Be Cops.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Let’s Be Cops stars Jake Johnson, Damon Wayans Jr., Rob Riggle, Nina Dobrev, James D’Arcy, Keegan-Michael Key and Andy Garcia. It is directed by Luke Greenfield and is now in theaters.