PICK OF THE WEEK
Cop Out
Kevin Smith directed—but didn’t write—this crowd-pleasing buddy-buddy cop comedy about the motormouth Paul (Tracy Morgan) and his slow-burn partner Jimmy (Bruce Willis). Suspended without pay after they screw up an investigation, Jimmy decides to sell his prize baseball card to finance his daughter’s upcoming wedding. However, during the sale, he is robbed by the hapless Dave (Seann William Scott), which leads to him uncovering a larger crime ring run by Poh Boy (Guillermo Diaz). Cop Out ‘s plot is little more than an excuse to hang comedy bits, from a very funny foul-mouthed woman whose house is burglarized to some very funny/annoying scenes of Dave behaving like an irritating younger brother. Morgan gets plenty of screen time to act out and Cop Out will amuse his fans. Morgan’s opening montage, a homage to various films is pretty riotous—more so than a subplot in which he fears his wife (Rashida Jones) is cheating on him. Morgan also amuses when he spars with Willis and/or Scott, or when tries to communicate with the beautiful but Spanish speaking Gabriela (Ana de la Reguera) whom he has to protect. In contrast, Willis smirks through the film as the sensible one, and it’s disarming to see the former wiseacre play the straight man. Incidentally, Cop Out often feels like a throwback to those 1980s sass and shoot-em-ups 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop (Harold Faltermeyer even appears on the soundtrack here). Smith hasn’t necessarily made a memorable film, but it is enjoyable enough.
ALSO OPENING
The Art of the Steal
A documentary about the hullabaloo around the moving of the Barnes Museum from Merion to Center City Philadelphia.
The Crazies
A remake of the 1973 George Romero horror film—this time starring Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell—about a group of townspeople all losing their minds when their water supply is poisoned.
The Ghost Writer
Roman Polanski directs this tale about the title character (Ewan McGregor) who gets more than he bargained for when he takes on an assignment penning the memoirs of a politician (Pierce Brosnan).
The North Face
Based on a true story, this engrossing mountaineering docudrama recounts the efforts of two cocky, adventurous Germans Toni (Fürmann) and Andi (Lukas), who dared to climb the “Wall of Death” on the Eiger North Face of the Swiss Alps in 1936. Framed through the eyes of budding photographer/journalist Luise (Wokalek), who grew up with the two men, this breathtaking film is full of literal and narrative cliffhangers. Yet while the scenery is as spectacular as the challenge, The North Face does rely—like a climber on his ropes—on the hoary tension-building device (i.e., cliché) of showing a piton in a mountainside before it slips out and causes someone to fall. Likewise, the overbearing soundtrack swells to great heights to telegraph the appropriate emotions. Nevertheless, director/co-writer Philipp Stölzl’s impressive film overcomes these drawbacks to create an exciting story of character and pride—revealing the heroism and integrity of the protagonists. When two Austrians follow in Toni and Andi’s footsteps and an intense snowstorm provides one of several obstacles for the climbers, the drama culminates in a daring rescue attempt. Luise, worries for their safety. Her editor (Ulrich Tukur), ensconced in a luxury hotel, worries for a story. And viewers hold their breath as the exciting story descends, like an avalanche.
AroundPhilly Staff
