End of Watch

Jmac Review:

End of Watch captures a few days in the life of LA cops, spread over what appears to be about 6 months. The movie shows both the light-hearted and very dark side of their work. From marriage, children, and brotherhood; to child neglect if not torture, gang on gang violence, and being hunted by Mexi cartels. End of Watch show what happens when good men try to do too much, or rather what they see as being the right thing to do, even if it is not in their billet. With flips between jokes and very serious on the job moments throughout, its a wonder more cops in these situations don't lose their minds. The movie was thoroughly watchable for everyone over the age of 13, with only cursing and mild gruesome innuendo being shown or spoken about. The really sad part about the movie is that cops, not only in LA, but all across our southern border are facing this type of existence more and more. The US has led military interventions into Mexico many times, but until we learn that half measures do not combat the most violent of narco thugs and guerrillas, then such an option will always be doomed to fail.

But I digress, although the movie is about police working their beats, it is not a buddy cop movie like Lethal Weapon or Die Hard. It has a much more serious tone than earlier 80s and 90s cop movies, although Gyllenhaal and Pena do a great job of providing comic relief even after having gone through something traumatic.  Oh and Anna Kendrick is hot.

I give it a 3.9 blinged-out AKs out of 5. While not the best of movies, it does better than a lot of others, at trying to bring light to a serious issue our country is facing.

Kmac Review:

End of Watch was the type of movie I normally avoid. It was gritty and violent, there is one crime scene in particular I’m still trying to scrub from my brain, but it was also a movie I couldn’t stop watching. I intended not to watch at all. I had my laptop up and told myself not to look at the screen. The dialogue between the partners was engaging and I kept looking up and down until I finally didn’t look down anymore. The shooting style was based on one of the cops wanting to film a documentary about his experience. Anything the viewer saw came from a camera he had placed or another source such as dashboard cameras or the cameras of the Mexican cartel. This movie did a job of showing both the world of the police and the people they are up against. This movie is not easy to watch. Scene after scene expose the many obstacles faced by our police force and many are gruesome or heartbreakingly sad. This is broken with the simple human moments of their home lives with weddings and children. It makes the characters feel real to watch how they try and leave what they do at work and go about their lives. If you can get through it the movie really makes an impact on you... unless you are distracted by someone commenting on Anna Kendrick every five seconds.

I give this movie 4 out of 5 glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Not Duncan. The Southerners know why.