Let’s Be Cops (2014)
Certified: 15
Duration: 102 minutes
Directed by: Luke Greenfield
Starring: Jake Johnson, Damon Wayans, Jr, Rob Riggle, Nina Dobrev, Keegan-Michael Key, James D’Arcy, Andy García, Jon Lajoie, Tom Mardirosian, Natasha Leggero, Rebecca Koon
KRS Releasing Ltd

Ryan and Justin (Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr) have made a promise to each other to become successful but they still have to pass the ‘loser’ stage. The two left Ohio and moved to Los Angeles with the intention to make it big in life by the age of 30.

Justin, who wants to become a video game developer, works for a video game company but all he does is act as secretary and take notes during meetings. Meanwhile Ryan dreams of becoming an actor.

One day they go to a costume party wearing really authentic cop uniforms and everything suddenly changes. They notice beautiful women are eyeing them up, everyone gets out of their way and whatever they do, even as ‘not real’ cops, gives them real satisfaction. Justin is even more impressed with the fact that a waitress named Josie (Nina Dobrev) he fancies is giving him the time of day.

Ryan, however, wants to take it a step further. He has a grudge against some guys who had hit his car and then run away from the scene. When they find them, they realise that these are gang members of Mossi (James D’Arcy), a mob lord, and Brolin (Andy Garcia), a shady cop. The two try to seek help from Pupa (Keegan-Michael Key) and Segars (Rob Riggle) who is a real police officer. Soon things get completely out of control.

Let’s Be Cops ticks all the right boxes as regards buddy-cop movies, except that the two central characters are not cops! Made on a $17 million budget, the film ended up grossing almost $100 million at the box office. This success can be tagged down to various reasons but it’s seeing men in uniform doing silly things that acts as the prime attraction. The fact that the film does not take itself too seriously and has an effortless quality to it makes it an even more amiable picture.

The first half is comedy-based while the second half is comedy mixed with drama as the fake cops find real villains to deal with.

It’s in this flow of lightweight entertainment and a heavy dose of feel-good factor that Luke Greenfield directs, delivering all the quick laughs he can muster.