Review: Cop Out (2010) TH

Oh, buddy, more coppers

Brooklyn police detectives Jimmy (Bruce Willis) and Paul (Tracy Morgan) have been together as partners for the NYPD for 9 years, until they get suspended for 30 days without pay as per a botched sting operation involving Mexican drug dealers, excessive force and now an unusable informant. Jimmy's daughter is getting married and instead of letting his ex-wife's wealthy, condescending husband Roy (Jason Lee) foot the bill, he volunteers despite having no income for the next month and nothing to his name besides a very expensive, one-of-a-kind Andy Pafko baseball card.

This jumps over to a subplot that ties into the very reason they got suspended when the card gets stolen. They dodge giving information to the arch rival detectives Mangold and Hunsaker--who are constantly give them sarcastic flack for being screw ups--and decide to follow up the leads on their own. After getting some information off an effeminate cat burglar, who doesn't know when to shut up, they end up at the crib of the Catholic, murdering-dudes-left-and-right gang leader named Poh Boy who's got a posse that's armed to the teeth like a bunch of modern outlaw bandidos. The intimidating and potentially loco man named after a sandwich negotiates a deal that if they can get back his Mercedes Benz from some elusive guys who stole it then he'll hand over the card. Though a simple transaction turns into a fiasco that involves a growing list of illegal activities that these honest cops can't look the other way on.

"Cop Out" is a from-one-thing-to-another type movie, where the plot is loose and the players throw out some banter for the meantime. Problem is the story isn't note worthy and on top of that the chemistry between Willis and Morgan feels hit and miss, not to mention they frequently jump in and out of character. Ana de la Reguera as Gabriela is cute and likable, and the gang leader, played by Guillermo Diaz, is brutal to the point of exaggeration but also brings a certain on-screen presence just to see his next move. This isn't just a basic movie, it's a movie that doesn't hold that much power over its audience: they don't capitalize on what to root for, they don't take advantage of relating factors, there's nothing of value to polish with upkeep, light on mystery, small surprises, nothing to learn and repeat, little on growth, not as big on action and this produces superficial rewards--exhales. The one thing it does have is some nostalgia going on: '80s synthesizer music mixed with other radio hits, as well as more references to other movies than one can count. It plays on the cult, but doesn't produce a following itself.

This is purposely derivative and what makes it trip over its own shoelaces is it never fully crosses back over to walk with its own gait. "Lethal Weapon" and "Rush Hour" played on the tried-and-true and had their cliches as well, but still added some other elements to make the experience have their own distinctions to go back to. This is the second chance I've given this--being a fan of some of Kevin Smith and Bruce Willis' work--with the first time being okay if nothing special, but on the second time the slap stick jokes wear thin and have a shelf life of one time use with some currently having a stale taste as is. After awhile "Cop Out" feels like it's dragging through the mud as what's displayed isn't producing anything that's exceptional, even by simple escapism standards. For shame.

Director: Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma, Zack and Miri Make a Porno)
Starring: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Guillermo Diaz, Ana de la Reguera, Jason Lee, Kevin Pollak, Michelle Trachtenberg
Website: IMDB

Review: From Paris with Love (2010) TH

Cupid shoots bullets in Paris

James Reese (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), an assistant to the US ambassador in France, is working covertly as an operative in Paris with a secret "voice" or control officer to give orders on the other end of a phone that he never meets. They're starting him out small as they want to see what he's capable of, such as planting a microphone in the conference room of the Foreign Minister to gather intelligence. He eventually wants to become special ops and his next assignment might give him all the experience he'll need after picking up his new partner Charlie Wax (Travolta) at the airport.

Right from the get-go you realize both are nearly polar opposites: Reese is step-by-step and methodical with a studied background in politics and foreign language, and Wax is spontaneous and unpredictable with know-how for combat and weaponry, not to mention a humorous slang for every situation he encounters. He's a man who doesn't turn his back to vices but like Jack Bauer from "24" or William James from "The Hurt Locker," he's able to cast his own feelings aside to get the job done at whatever the cost. Wax, being the loose cannon he is, takes his new partner on a series of misadventures through the city from drug dealers leading to gang members leading to pimps leading to terrorist cells and more spies.

Wax is an American operative who's supposed to be covert but instead tears up the shady areas of Paris to demand the info he needs because their mission is time sensitive. The audience gets to experience all these over-the-top scenes through the eyes of a new man on the job who signed on to something more dangerous than he initially expected to get himself into. Reese maintains an unsure trust with Wax but also tags along with a glued fascination to see what's around the next corner while his pretty and caring French girlfriend Caroline (Kasia Smutniak) stays at home with no idea that they're spilling copious amounts of blood and racking up a substantial body count. She just proposed to him that night with her father's ring, and now he has to make a sacrifice for the woman he loves when she gets wrapped up in the operation.

This is a rapidly moving action film with secrecy and espionage that barely has time to stop and take a breather, so it can be a little spoon fed at points and exaggerated for effect to keep things looking forward and never back. This results in some plotholes glazed over so things can conveniently line up, but, on the other hand, this manages to take serious stuff like protecting national security and turn it into a fun and wild ride more so than a couple of stiffs negotiating official business. There are car and foot chases, shootouts, some quick hand to hand combat and then fast paced music over top to give it all charge. The viewer's perspective is through Reese, so events seem to happen so quickly that it feels like a dream sequence only to be remembered in pieces and snippets, but for the moment a massively diverting one at that. John Travolta plays the character Wax as brazen, brash and belligerent, and is able to keep you guessing about him by making you wonder if he's formulating decisions on the fly or has a game plan already in place--maybe both. "From Paris with Love" is basic entertainment in the end but an experience that feels energizing, steadily paced and ultimately unpredictable.

Director: Pierre Morel (Taken)
Starring: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak
Website: IMDB

Review: The Fighter (2010) TH

A tale of fists and family

This is a film dealing with having a dream about doing something for yourself and then having to make sacrifices with personal relationships in order to get there. An up and coming boxer named Micky Ward (Wahlberg) from the rough town of Lowell, Mass in the '90s has a community that stands by him as well as a large family to give a helping hand with training, promotion and attempting to secure fights to show off his magic. Everybody gives their unconditional love the best they can, but are stuck in a routine and he wants to break away without hurting those who've always been there.

Dicky (Bale) is training his younger brother Micky, who always looked up to him, to make it as a pro. Dicky knows the sport like the back of his hand and is likable and passionate but isn't always in control as he's not able to help himself when it comes to abusing substances. It's evident to everybody but himself that he's still living in a certain part of his past with his mind stuck in a loop. Dicky is being filmed for an HBO documentary on crack addiction but that doesn't stop him from scheming and getting into trouble with the law. He's unreliable and their protective mother, who is also Micky's manager, tries but doesn't know any better which makes matters worse.

Micky gets more and more involved with a straight-shooting woman named Charlene (Adams) that works as a bartender. She's as much a warrior as himself and he's got to win her over, but once the lioness is tamed she lends courage and support to see through the barriers. A new promoter and trainer offer better opportunity with the promise of consistency, but the rule is as long as that doesn't include the reckless brother and overbearing mother. This puts Micky between a rock and a hard place as his brother--who now went through detox and gained some perspective from the documentary--gave him sound advice in a fight.

Some sports movies don't always find a balance between the struggle and the glory, and can fall into a trap of being predictable and crutched on the finale. "The Fighter," however, made it worth it due to a journey that grows and expands in between and doesn't gamble everything it's got on the "big one." This isn't selling the audience a you-can-do-it-too sports dream but rather to show that if you want to make it in anything, that making sacrifices, even impossible ones, is all part of the process of committing to your goals and aspirations. Micky is just one character among many, including the town of Lowell itself. It shows the real life people in positive and negative light, which gives some breathing room to the viewer instead of playing it as sappy and sentimental. The tone isn't all a heavy hitting drama, with some classic radio songs from an earlier era, as well as a layer of dry humor with some situations being slightly exaggerated for effect.

What truly made this picture stand out were the performances. Christian Bale did a fantastic job portraying the typical addict syndrome: it's never their fault, give them another chance, that person screwed them--it's all a conspiracy. It's uncanny if you've ever met or had contact with someone of the sort. The character makes promises he knows he can't keep, acts selfish, is a showboat for attention. Bale truly loses himself to the role as he got every single mannerism down to a T, and even with all negativity said didn't make you want to completely hate him--which makes sitting through this dramatic but not overbearing. Amy Adams went from making it big on "Catch Me If You Can" as the nice and innocent young girl, to here a hardened, street-tough woman who doesn't take any nonsense or just act as a feminine shoulder to cry on. It's refreshing to see a female role that isn't just pretty decoration for the background or if she's confident act like a one-note b with an itch. The mother and sisters--while slightly over-the-top to make an impression--came together as if they were just a close-knit family of locals that lean on each other. The performers ultimately made the story captivating and gave out a level of care for their trials and tribulations from this unheard of town to most in New England that made them what they were.

Director: David O. Russell (Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Melissa Leo
Website: IMDB