Copshop is a 2021 action thriller film directed by Joe Carnahan, and written by Kurt McLeod and Carnahan, based on a story by McLeod and Mark Williams. Carnahan was behind the camera for some great action films like The A-Team (2010), the very underrated Smokin’ Aces (2006), and the 2021 Hulu original time-loop thriller Boss Level (check out our review here), also starring Frank Grillo.
Screaming through the Nevada desert in a bullet-ridden Crown Vic, wily con artist Teddy Murretto hatches a desperate plan to hide out from lethal hitman Bob Viddick: He sucker-punches rookie officer Valerie Young to get himself arrested and locked up in a small-town police station. But jail can't protect Murretto for long. Viddick schemes his own way into detention, biding his time in a nearby cell until he can complete his mission.
The cast includes Gerard Butler, Frank Grillo, Alexis Louder, and Toby Huss. Copshop received a theatrical release on September 17th, courtesy of Open Road Films.
THE GOOD
I pride myself on knowing what movies are coming out and when, yet somehow Copshop snuck up on me. A month or so ago, maybe a month and a half, I came across the trailer and because it wasn’t on my radar I immediately assumed it would be a direct to VOD (video on demand) release. I went ahead and watched the trailer and was admittedly blown away, so I wasn’t at all surprised find out that it was going to release exclusively in theaters. I next found out it was directed by my guy Joe Carnahan and starring Gerard Butler and Frank Grillo and that was all I needed to hear, I would be there opening day.
Alright so I’ve had some time to collect my thoughts since seeing the movie, and Copshop was an absolute blast. It is just a fun ride from start to finish. The only thing I enjoyed more than the movie itself has been telling people about the movie, while doing my best to avoid spoilers of course. I really enjoyed the world they created and I loved the characters. It definitely had a Smokin’ Aces meets Assuault on Precinct 13 feel to it, which is a damn good combo if you ask me. Frank Grillo’s character Teddy Murretto is more or less the Jeremy Piven of Smokin’ Aces, who thinks that assaulting a police officer in an effort to hide out in a local police station is a good idea. Unfortunately for him, relentless hitman Bob Viddick is hot on his trail. The game of cat and mouse between these two is a joy to experience, but the real fun starts when psychopath hitman Anthony Lamb shows up, played by Toby Huss. Lamb is real nut job and not a second of his screen-time is wasted. To say that this small police station will never be the same is a severe understatement.
The violence is prevalent pretty much throughout the film, but the humor is as well which really balances things out nicely. Mixed in with all of the profanity is a ton of well-written dark comedy one-liners, including a few pop culture references. All things considered I very much enjoyed the comedy aspect and laughed out loud quite a few times. I also thought the pacing was great as the movie never once felt boring. Copshop is chock full of fantastic characters and memorable back and forths, making overall replay ability undeniable.
Copshop is undoubtedly anchored by the incredible cast. Frank Grillo is damn near unrecognizable in his role as smooth talking Teddy Moretto, right down to his man bun and goatee, which was a really nice touch. It becomes clear pretty quickly that he would sell out his mother to save his own ass. I really liked his character and felt like Grillo was the perfect person to play this role, once again proving why he and Carnahan are so successful together. I am a huge Gerard Butler Guy, and I honestly feel like at this point in his career he is basically Mr. Crime Thriller. I’ve seen Law Abiding Citizen, a very underrated movie, at least 50 times, and his more recent Den of Thieves (full review here), is another great watch I highly recommend. His portrayal of cool, calm and collected hitman Bob Viddick is just perfect.
I also mentioned Toby Huss in his role as Anthony Lamb, and to be honest he might just be my favorite character. He is a complete sociopath and finds joy in shooting people, usually while cracking jokes or dancing, or both. He points out the fact that the contract for Teddy is a “free fire” meaning anyone with the initiative has the option to try and take him out to collect on the big pay day, which is where he comes in. From his intro scene the tone is set for Lamb’s character, and you will be like a kid in a candy store each and every time he is on-screen, or at least I was anyway. For those of you who have seen the Apple TV series The Mosquito Coast (preview and trailer here), which is a great show by the way, his character reminded me of the contract killer Bill Lee, played by Harry Potter actor Ian Hart, although he is the more calculated and less “colorful” version. If anyone in Hollywood is reading this, a movie with these two characters together would be EPIC.
I also have to give a huge shoutout to Alexis Louder in her role as resourceful rookie cop Valerie Young. I really liked how many layers there were to her character, and I felt like she was believable right from the start. She is a legit badass and is a big reason why this movie worked so well. Louder was asked by Carnahan to channel her inner Dirty Harry as she prepared for her role, so she watched The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and Dirty Harry to prepare for her character, which is described as a modern-day gunslinger. After watching the movie it all makes perfect sense, and I couldn’t have enjoyed her character more. She is an actress to keep an eye on.
I talk quite a bit about star Frank Grillo and director Joe Carnahan’s personal and professional relationship, and the fact that they have a production company together called WarParty Films in my Boss Level review, which did also produce Copshop. Carnahan might not be a household name, but he sure knows his way around an old school shoot em up action thriller, and he is quickly becoming a favorite of mine especially if he continues working with Grillo. His movies are fun and full of energy, and include lots of laughs, what more could you ask for? On the technical side of things Copshop is fantastic. The old-school feel is fully realized thanks to lots of nice touches with the editing including the opening which is borrowed directly from the 1973 film Magnum Force starring Mr. Dirty Harry himself, the ageless Clint Eastwood. The very upbeat and energetic soundtrack also keeps things going, and in my opinion was a crucial ingredient for the success of the film.
THE BAD
Full disclosure, I’m a sucker for this style of movie for several reasons. You really don’t need a complex plot for it to work if you have great acting and a unique and stylish feel. But, interestingly enough, one of the best elements of Copshop also proves to be something that limits its potential. The characters, primarily Grillo’s Teddy Murretto and Butler’s Bob Viddick, are extremely fascinating and the driving force for the success of the movie but we aren’t really afforded the opportunity to get to know them. The dialogue between the two helps paint a picture as far as who they are and what their personal history is, but they barely scratch the surface. I would love to have seen more time spent on flashbacks so that we could have gotten to know their characters better.
Frank Grillo actually took to social media blasting the films final cut after the editing process was completed saying that his performance was in his words, “castrated”, which significantly impacted the final product. He is pissed that critics have been critical of his performance, and says that the cut he and director/friend Joe Carnahan handed over was skipped over for a different cut which he says makes his character very one-dimensional in comparison. Personally, I still loved his character but I get his frustration. They certainly left lots of untapped potential on the table. I hope they release the directors cut on Blu-ray so that I can compare the two, and maybe Grillo can convince Carnahan to start working on a sequel, perhaps even a prequel focused on Murretto and Viddick’s characters. I would love that.
THE VERDICT
A stylish old-school shoot-em-up action thriller packed to the brim with gratuitous violence, humor, and memorable characters, Joe Carnahan’s Copshop is one heck of a fun ride and well worth the price of admission. Could it have been even better? Sure. I talked about the untapped potential of the film but at this point, I will watch anything Carnahan is involved with especially if Grillo is in a lead role. I just hope he continues to include Butler in the future as well, and maybe we will even get a Copshop sequel/prequel. Fingers crossed. So yeah, ignore the so-called critics who can’t seem to stomach a nice blend of violence and comedy, and go see this at your local theater, you won’t regret it.
TED TAKES RATING - 8.7/10
Copshop is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.