Matthew Scott (7 KP) rated Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) in Movies
Mar 25, 2019
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Chris Sawin (602 KP) rated Cop Out (2010) in Movies
Jun 22, 2019 (Updated Jun 23, 2019)
To tell the truth, I wasn't looking forward to this film at all. I'm a pretty big fan of most of Kevin Smith's work, but he didn't write the film. It could be argued that he did write Jersey Girl and that could be considered a bomb, but his films usually average about $25-$30 million anyway. A Kevin Smith film isn't really about bringing in a large amount of money at the box office. His charm is in his writing, especially the dialogue and interaction between characters. There's a very specific audience his films will appeal to and none of them have really branched away from that. But him not writing this one made me think, "Eh. Not sure what that'll be like since he didn't write it." When it comes to Bruce Willis, I've never talked to anyone who dislikes him entirely. There always seems to be at least one of his films everybody enjoys. Die Hard, The Fifth Element, and Sin City are just a few off the top of my head. The real buzz-killer for me though was Tracy Morgan. He's just never been funny to me. He was beyond lame on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock has never been able to hold my attention for very long. Not to mention all the trailers for Cop Out didn't make me laugh. Thankfully though, first impressions can be so very wrong.
One of Cop Out's biggest charms is that it feels like a buddy cop comedy you've seen before, but have forgotten how much you enjoy it. The film feels similar to a 48 Hrs or Beverly Hills Cop film. Bulletproof is also a good example. Cop Out is pretty much what you expect when it comes to roles Bruce Willis chooses as it's pretty much no different than his role as John McClane on the surface, but he's a lot funnier this time around. As far as Tracy Morgan goes, the funniest thing I could remember him saying was his one line in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back ("Man... I don't know what the f--- you just said, Little Kid, but you're special man, you reached out, and you touched a brother's heart.") until this film. He was downright hilarious at times. The only person who was funnier than Morgan was Seann William Scott who stole every scene he was in. Even though Kevin Smith didn't pen the script this time around, it still feels like a Kevin Smith film. It could be due to the fact that Jason Lee has a small role in the film, but I like to think it's because Cop Out offers the same kind of comedy you'd find in a Kevin Smith film with a bit more action. It also took me forever to place Scarface from Half Baked as Poh Boy.
Cop Out is surprisingly funny and incredibly entertaining. Give this film a chance even if the trailers may not be doing anything for you. I felt the same way and wound up thoroughly enjoying the film. After a long, stressful day at work, an R-rated comedy with a lot of laughs is one of the best ways to relax and this film offers just that. It's a great film to go into with no expectations other than to just have a good time.
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Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Hitch (2005) in Movies
Aug 14, 2019
Some of the efforts, such as last weekend’s The Wedding Date, never take off, while others, such as Hitch provide a nice mix of romance and comedy which, for the most part, work very well.
The film follows the exploits of urban legend Alex Hitch Hitchens (Will Smith), a self-styled date doctor who specializes in helping men romance the lady of their dreams. Hitch does not provide a dating service but rather helps his clients with their confidence and instructs them on the true way to win and keep and ladies heart.
With his proven results and good rapport with his clients, Hitch is a man in demand, yet due to his policy of privacy and secrecy, to many, the so-called love doctor is little more than an urban myth which is just fine with Hitch. He would rather work in the shadows than bask in the limelight. The adoration of his clients is all he needs. Well, that and a steady supply of ladies to charm at the days end.
Hitch is about to face his toughest case yet in a kind but portly accountant named Albert (Kevin James) who is desperate to win the heart of his wealthy socialite client Allegra (Amber Valletta). When Albert and Allegra start to be seen with one another in public, they catch the eye of celebrity snoop Sara (Eve Mendes), who becomes determined to see what is behind this unexpected couple, which in turn leads her to believe that the so-called Date Doctor is a reality.
If matters were not complicated enough, Hitch starts to see Sara on a social basis with each of them unaware of what the other really does. Sparks fly despite the unflappable and smooth Hitch having one thing after another go awry. Sara really seems to be effecting him, and the more pathetic and hopeless he seems, the more they are drawn to one another.
Instead of turning the film into a whimsical lark, Director Andy Tennant, who helmed the recent Sweet Home Alabama manages to balance comedy with romance, all the while keeping a little bit of drama involved.
Mendes and Smith have good chemistry with one another, as do Smith and James. Smith is very solid and likeable as the charming Hitch. He plays him as a smooth and confident guy, who is actually more reserved and cautious on the inside. The duality of his character is clear without being overwhelming, leaving him not only likeable, but as a character that is easy to root for. The biggest surprise of the film would be Kevin James. His portrayal of Albert is a solid mix of humor and decency. James gets many laughs with Albert’s attempt at being suave, as he portrays a very realistic and believable character who is struggling to find his inner confidence and let his body and voice convey what he has in his heart.
The film does lose momentum during the final twenty minutes when it becomes lazy, resorting to many standard situations that have been done many times before. That being said Hitch as a whole works, and if you are willing to overlook a few blemishes, you may find yourself enjoying the warmth, humor and charm.
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Gareth von Kallenbach (965 KP) rated Cop Out (2010) in Movies
Aug 8, 2019
This is a disaster for Jimmy as his only daughter is about to get married and he needs the money to pay for the wedding to avoid his ego having to absorb the insult of having his former wives new husband pick up the tab.
Undaunted Jimmy decides to sell a prized baseball card to cover the 48K wedding tab, and looks forward to being able to make his daughters dream wedding a reality. Things do not go as planned as Jimmy has his card stolen which forces Paul and Jimmy to take drastic actions to recover it.
The duo track down the card thief (Seann William Scott), and learn that he traded the card to a local drug lord who is as passionate about baseball as he is deadly to all those who stand in his way.
Jimmy and Paul soon realize that they must deal with the enemy in an effort to retrieve the card as his request that they find his stolen Mercedes seems a small price to pay for the safe return of the prized card.
Upon locating the Mercedes, Jimmy and Paul learn that a much larger game is afoot and find themselves on the run for goons and their fellow cops as they try to keep a key witness safe and retrieve the card.
The film has some very funny moments and Director Kevin Smith gets some good laughs from the material but the film suffers from a disjointed plot and some glaring holes which requires some major leaps of faith from the audience.
For example, we are expected to believe that a couple of thieves would steal a car and sell it but nowhere in the process would the thieves or new owner bother to look in the trunk much less hear the noises coming from within.
We are given a few bits about Jimmy and Paul, such as Paul’s paranoia regarding his wife and his inability to question a suspect, but the duo are so thinly developed the seem to have been crafted from the Buddy Cop film 101 guide.
Smith has always been a favorite of mine as I have always liked the way he blends biting satire and humor with interesting characters and conversations.
Action does not seem to yet be an area of comfort for Smith as he does pull off the action sequences in the film but they seem very restrained for what audiences have come to expect from today’s action films.
This time out Smith was limited to directing and editing and the film seems to be badly in need of his writing abilities.
Given his past issues with trying to do films for a big studio, it was a surprise to me that Smith did the film which was originally entitled “The Two Dicks”.
Thankfully his skilled handling of the cast and humor is what tips the scales in the films favor making “Cop Out” a flawed but at times very funny film.