IR Film Review: COPSHOP [Open Road]
As with some movies, the essence of a few come out of the ether. "Copshop", a lower budget but efficient par-for-the-course entry from director Joe Carnahan continues to shows his love but also texture to make small taut action movies. Initially before this and "Boss Level" which he did for Hulu, Carnahan was supposed to make "Bad Boys III' but split because of creative differences. Carnahan doesn't like to do things half ass. Having met him many times over the years, he is a warm and jovial guy but he is focused and knows what he wants. He has found a good collaborator on the last two films with Frank Grillo, whom in this film he is able to reinvent just a little. Grillo, even with The Punisher, is bit griddled. Carnahan here makes him more elegant in a way, think Antonio Banderas in "Desperado".
The action mostly all takes place inside a large police station/jail in the middle of the Nevada desert (though the film was shot in New Mexico) but it is done with flair. Gerard Butler as a contract killer of sorts is good but he is almost too gruff in his delivery. It would be nice if he was a little looser but he has also built himself into an action brand. While this works here, a lot of the film before it lets loose is dialogue driven (and Carnahan has always been snappy and effective with dialogue). The steady hand that really keeps the film within its emotional core is Alexis Louder as Valerie Young, the rookie at the station. Carnahan puts her through the paces but she keeps up with all the boys and even out strategizes, at least in certain scenes, with both a strength and vulnerability and a vitality which works well while getting the humor and still making it dangerous. And that is what stands out in most of Carnahan's film.
The characters always are drawn and work. Even with some genre material, the cast stills seems very fluid in this way because Joe knows what he wants. All the cops have their own quirks and funny bits while still holding true to the story. The MVP that ups the crazy beyond where it needs to be but with a wonderful edge is Toby Huss as a second hitman. Mostly he is known from a Nickelodeon show so Carnahan must have seen something cool in him because his comedy and deadliness along with sense of timing is absolutely perfect for this specific Carnahan film. While this film doesn't come close to Carnahan's earlier "Smokin' Aces", it still shows he has the knack, the gift and the love of genre, specifically 70s style and action while still playing in the modern world. B
By Tim Wassberg
