Copshop (2021).
Directed by Joe Carnahan
Written by Kurt McLeod and Joe Carnahan
Starring Alexis Louder, Frank Grillo, Gerard Butler and Toby Huss
The Stage.
A con artist intentionally gets himself arrested thinking that it’ll keep him safe from the ruthless hitmen that are on his trail. Unfortunately for him and the cops inside of the station, it won’t.
The Review.
How much cop could a copshop shop if a copshop could shop cop?
I really like Joe Carnahan as a creative. Looking at films like Boss Level and Smokin’ Aces as examples, he films wild, over-the-top action really well and he always combines that with very interesting, flavorful characters, and Copshop is no different.
Like Assault on Precinct 13, we have an African American police officer who’s trying to get people out safely, but unlike most siege films, the participants are all already inside of the building. Alexis Louder plays Valerie Young, the police officer, and she is really great as this confident, smart gunslinger. She has a calm demeanor about her, even while she’s in grave danger that makes her so interesting to watch on-screen. If you’re looking for a film featuring a strong female protagonist, look no further. The con artist locked up in one of the police station cells is Teddy Murretto, the world’s worst shot. He’s interesting in that you really don’t know what his motives are or what he’s capable of until later on in the film, played enigmatically by the always fantastic Frank Grillo. Gerard Butler rounds out the main three as the vicious bulldog Bob Viddick, a man just chomping at the bit for a shot at Teddy’s forehead. I have a big soft spot for Gerard Butler, I don’t know exactly why, but I just love watching him on screen.
The story moves along at a propulsive pace, which can be hard to do in a film that takes place all in one location. I thought it was pretty well written, with the exception of some final third messiness and the familiar action movie trope of people shooting a thousand bullets and somehow not hitting anything but walls and stacks of paper, but those small complaint didn’t ruin anything for me. I thought the tone was like a more mature Smokin’ Aces, but not by much, which I was perfectly fine with. Anthony Lamb, a psychopathic hitman played by Toby Huss was a good source of comedy in the back half of the film. He’s got a few lines that made me laugh out loud while watching this by myself. The violence has a exploitative quality that’s right up my alley while never being gross.
I only really have minor complaints about the film. I didn’t necessarily have a problem with Frank Grillo’s character, but he took to Instagram to both defend Joe Carnahan and to mention that a lot of his character development was cut. I also think that they could have developed the relationship between Valerie and Bob a bit more. Hopefully we can see the Carnahan cut someday, but it sounds like there was some studio meddling. I don’t think that the studio was responsible for the CGI fire though, which looked terrible.
The End.
I enjoyed Copshop. It’s a brisk siege movie with a cool setting, colorful characters, and a fun, exploitative vibe. The last ten minutes weren’t great, and the third act in general could have used some retooling (specifically the last five minutes), but overall I thought it was really fun. I’m looking forward to what Alexis Louder does next, because she was amazing, and Toby Huss is now on my radar as well as he stole every scene he was in as the hilarious balloon man psycho. If you like over-the-top action films or siege movies like Assault on Precinct 13, I think you’ll find this a good sit.
