The Kevin Smith-helmed Cop Out and Oscar-nominated Terribly Happy both have police officers as their central characters, deal with romantic troubles, and, unfortunately, miss the mark.
Tracy Morgan‘s lovable and bumbling shtick that’s worked for him so well on Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock is a wrong fit for Cop Out. Though Bruce Willis hasn’t been starring in a stream of hits lately—not by any stretch—it doesn’t even seem like he’s even trying anymore. Smith has even distanced himself from the film, reminding audiences via Twitter that he didn’t write the movie but only directed it. As the storyline gets jumbled, jokes are overplayed, and the plot doubles down on its own clichés, audiences will realize that Cop Out is an unoriginal attempt to remake a funnier movie.
Terribly Happy, while not unlikable, is also nothing unique. A cop from Copenhagen gets reassigned to a creepy town and attempts to help solve a murder while dealing with the inhabitants of his new city. The thriller doesn’t exactly grip, but keeps viewers wondering how cop Robert (Jakob Cedergren) will deal with the people on his beat—and if he’ll ever be able to get back to Copenhagen. While interesting and only about 90 minutes long, Terribly Happy is not terribly good, and may make many wonder why it was nominated for an Academy Award in the first place.
To read more of Tricia Olszewski‘s review, go here.