By: Cynthia Ayala

Let’s Be Cops shows of the comedic talents of Jake Johnson and Damon Waynes Jr. while giving a grounded performance.

Directed by: Luke Greenfield

Written by: Luke Greenfield & Nicholas Tomas

Starring: Jake Johnson, Daymon Waynes Jr., Nina Dobrev, Rob Riggle & Keegan-Michael Key

Genre: Comedy, Action

Let’s Be Cops follows two friends through their mundane lives as they try to make it in Hollywood. But things don’t go according to plan and their lives have hit several road bumps. Until one day, their discover that pretending to be cops has all the perks they could want. However, when they get in too deep with the mob, they decide that they must grow up and take responsibility for all their actions.

A surprisingly good movie. Let’s Be Cops combines the comedic talents of Joke Johnson and Damon Waynes Jr. as two longtime friends who moved to L.A. to live the dream only and failed in the attempt. Jake Johnson plays a college football star who didn’t make it to the NFL due to an injury while Waynes played a video game designer who doesn’t stand up for himself and let’s himself get bullied around at work. Together, both characters feel as though their lives are going nowhere, and they are. But both actors are able to give some meaning to an otherwise stupid humor type of film where two men pretend to be cop and get themselves into a lot of mess. Nevertheless, the type of mess these character are getting into allows for the characters to grow and become more than they are, to actually become the people they wanted to become and be proud of their career choices.

That actually gives a movie that would otherwise be completely stupid, some depth. These characters actually stop being the lazy and hapless and begin to rise to the challenges of survival.

The pair make a great team overall and combined with comedic charm, the story offers viewers a lot of laughs, so much so that the viewer – provided they enter the movie realizing that it is full of a lot of stupid humor – will be bent over laughing so much their sides will hurt.

The movie relies a lot of the acting but doesn’t sacrifice story, instead it keeps it simple and light, creating a very plausible story line of two men who get in too deep with the mob and gun traffickers. The story doesn’t under represent itself and come off as rudimentary but rather is fresh, funny and full of quirky action.

All in all, it was a very funny movie. Definitely not a blockbuster, but hilarious nonetheless. ★★☆☆ | B-