Joe Carnahan (Smokin’ Aces, The Grey) has 2 movies out this year namely Boss Level and Copshop which both star Frank Grillo in the lead roles though in the latter he shares the spotlight with Gerard Butler.
I liked Boss Level but I absolutely loved Copshop mainly because Carnahan instead of using elements from better films to make Boss Level actually used his signature writing and direction in Copshop which reminded me of his best feature film in my opinion: the star-studded Smokin’ Aces (2006) which had a cast that include Ryan Reynolds, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Taraji P. Henson and Alicia Keys among others.
Copshop likewise has a great cast but the lesser-known members such as Alexis Louder (Officer Valerie) and Toby Huss (Anthony Lamb) – who stole the show – do a much better job than the more famous thespians namely Butler and Grillo. But overall, Carnahan makes use of every single character from major to minor just like he did in his magnum opus Smokin’ Aces.
The film, however, still suffers from a tad predictable and dull storyline, and I still think if the focus was shifted from Grillo and Butler, who also share production credit on this one, the movie would’ve done much better. I don’t why but even though I am a major fan of Grillo since his role in Warrior (2011), I thought he didn’t suit his role as the mysterious Teddy Murretto especially the hairstyle, makeup and costume design went against his more traditional appearances in both mainstream and low-budget cinema.
All in all, Copshop might not attract viewers who like more serious thrillers (Safe House, etc.,) than action-comedies like, say, Deadpool but Carnahan even without the high-budget which dominates the superhero market nowadays, bestows upon Copshop his unique brand of storytelling, and those looking for a blockbuster with more style than substance in a 2021 action movie need not look elsewhere.
Definitely in my top 10 of best Hollywood movies released in 2021 so far.
The Rating: 3 out of 4.
