SummaryTerry (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob (Michael Peña)are two crooked cops who frame and blackmail criminals all over town. Looking for the ultimate pay-off, they try to extort a strip-club manager (Caleb Landry Jones) and his eccentric, junkie boss, (Theo James), but get more than they bargained for when their hair-brained scheme uncovers ...
SummaryTerry (Alexander Skarsgård) and Bob (Michael Peña)are two crooked cops who frame and blackmail criminals all over town. Looking for the ultimate pay-off, they try to extort a strip-club manager (Caleb Landry Jones) and his eccentric, junkie boss, (Theo James), but get more than they bargained for when their hair-brained scheme uncovers ...
While his American competition practices the right to remain silent, McDonagh writes his clever, coal-black heart out, delivering another firecracker script.
It’s pleasurable enough to see Skarsgård and especially Peña, so often cast as a genial second banana, taking pride of place in their own vehicle, even if this one fails to make the most of their considerable chemistry.
This is one of those films that at the start looks like the standard cop comedy movie, but as it moves along, it goes to places you wouldn't expect, has the sort of niche humour that in years to come, people will rate it as one of the great cult movies. Fantastic use of soundtrack and locations, with a plot that keeps you gripped to the end. And I laughed out loud at some of the great lines.
Very good film, good laughs (the payoff when they go overseas to find their informant is brilliant), stylish cinematography. Pena and Skarsgard have great chemistry, and even though they're ****, are extremely likeable. This should be a cult classic within the next few years with any hope. The only thing lacking is a truly threatening bad guy; I get they're trying something different with the British lord and the wimpy sidekick who think that their money and status will fix everything, but the late revelation that drives the two main characters to the climax doesn't feel connected to the two main antagonists (in fact most involved aren't around to discuss it). But still, Pena and (I swear I'll never spell his name right but he should play Doc Savage!) Skarsgard are terrific, and nice to see Paul Reiser in a decent role (It wasn't anywhere near as good as "Seinfeld", but I liked "Mad About You" back in the day)
Theoretically, getting to see Peña and Skarsgård goof around with these leading roles is the film’s headline draw; but the script is so misguidedly pleased with itself, all you’re doing is watching two amiable stars mug strenuously and try their best.
The movie was good, but something was missing. Had some humour in it and some laughable moments, but the storyline wasn't that good in my opinion. I mean it was dumb at some points. I watched in 2 weeks ago and have forgotten most of what happened in it, just remember the ending scene which was in itself funny, but made the whole movie a bit dumb too. I don't know, I can't find anything really bad to say about it but can't find any really good things either. You can watch it if you don't have anything better - also I did hope for something more from the movie (because the trailer was intriguing)
This is undoubtely my least favourite John Michael McDonagh's movie. He seems to be too immature here, the timing of the action never fits that much and the script hides a bit. It's not a terrible movie of course but J. M. M. is capable of better works than this.
This movie really felt like a joke, especially at the first half of the movie. It felt like it wasn't taken seriously by neither the cast and especially by the director, and sadly this feeling wasn't lifted till the end of the movie. It really is a joke. Honestly don't know how all these highly payed actors got in on this joke and though that it's going to be a good movie. And some of them where even in character like Alexander and Pena but it just wasn't enough when it came to overall performance. And the directors style....well, it's just so bad that even a freshly film school graduate can make better. And the writing and the script, also so lazy and cheesy. Although the humor is there but because the jokes a recycled from other movies, or pop culture references it's so cliche. The cinematography on the first half is lazy and utterly bad. But there are 2-3 scenes which where really genial, and overall topped the cinematography. But the scenes where edited in such a bad fashion that most of the time the viewer wouldn't know what he's watching, what is happening or what he's looking at. Also the whole movie is tiring because it looks like there are no esthetical transitions. But the sound effect and the visuals where great, even the action scenes, of which there are very few in order to be considered and action movie. Pacing issues are real heavy, here but I already touched this subject from one point of view. The plot is simple as it can get and it's cliche as hell. Overall this a painfully average movie, because the actors somewhat save the movie, and the fact that the few thing the movie did right it did VERY well. So these things save the film from not being below average.