A Simple Yet Enjoyable Action-Comedy with a Winning Duo
Ryan (Jake Johnson) and Justin (Damon Wayans Jr.) are best friends who arrived in Los Angeles years ago chasing the American dream. Now in their thirties, they’ve achieved little: Justin, a video game designer, still dreams of selling his first creation, while Ryan is unemployed. One day, they get their hands on police uniforms and head to a costume party. Afterward, they realize the uniforms give them something they lack in their ordinary lives: respect and authority. Emboldened, the friends get carried away, getting entangled with a crazy mobster (James D’Arcy).
Watching “Let’s Be Cops” evokes a warm wave of nostalgia for the post-Soviet video boom – those three-hour VHS tapes that often featured unpretentious comedic action films as the second feature. Think of “Mo’ Money,” starring Marlon Wayans, “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka” with Keenen Ivory Wayans, or “Bulletproof” with Adam Sandler and another Wayans, Damon. A lot has changed since then, but it’s nice to see some things stay the same. “Let’s Be Cops” feels like it was made in the early '90s, and even features Damon Wayans, albeit the junior version.
Predictable Plot
The old-school predictability of “Let’s Be Cops” is both its biggest flaw and its main appeal. The film is predictable from the first scene to the last, with every plot twist visible from the synopsis. The simple moral is equally predictable: face your problems, don’t turn away from evil and injustice, never give up, take responsibility for your actions, and only cross the street when the light is green. And yes, the main characters must be of different races, or it just won’t work.
Redeeming Qualities
Sounds dull? It can be. But “Let’s Be Cops” is more than just its bare plot. Like the best comedic action films of the late '80s and early '90s, it’s infused with a charming spontaneity. The script isn’t simplistic because “it’ll do,” but because the writers genuinely believe that these films should be light, uncomplicated, familiar, with a clear moral and plenty of room for improvisation. The actors take full advantage of the latter, with the leading duo proving to be vibrant and natural. James D’Arcy clearly has a blast playing the unhinged gangster. Even the most rushed and derivative scenes are palatable thanks to the engaging cast.
Final Thoughts
On the other hand, it’s important to emphasize that this is not a masterpiece, even by the standards of its genre. The box office success of “Let’s Be Cops” is likely due to a lack of competition in the Western market and a sudden wave of nostalgia, rather than any objective merits of the film. As mentioned earlier, this kind of movie was churned out in droves back in the day, and often done quite well. This is more on the level of clones like “Downtown” or “Solar Crisis,” rather than “The Last Boy Scout” or “Hard Target.” Don’t remember those movies? Exactly.