End of Watch: Movie Review

Have you ever watched an episode of COPS and wished it went on for just another hour or two? If your answer to the previous question is “yes”, then End of Watch is the film for you. The story revolves (quite literally) around two police officers named Mike Zavala, played by Michael Pena,  and Brian Taylor, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who have been targeted by members of a Mexican cartel after making quite the discovery while patrolling the streets of South Central Los Angeles.  If I had to use one word to describe the movie, I would probably use ‘raw’. The story is enticing and the script, absolutely riveting. With the film being made as a documentary, it felt as though you were watching a home video the entire time. I won’t give too much away, but I will tell you that there won’t be one dry eye in the house after watching this movie. The intensity of the friendship between Mike and Brian is portrayed beautifully on screen; the strongest bromance on film to this day.

One of the main things I enjoyed about the movie, besides the quirky remarks between the two cops, were the scenes filmed inside the cop car. The chemistry between Pena and Gyllenhaal is clearly palpable and you can tell they enjoyed themselves while making this movie. The movie is packed with action; I was always at the edge of my seat, wondering if they would make it through the next bust or not. Pena and Gyllenhaal were brilliantly supported by the rest of the cast which consisted of Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera and Natalie Martinez. I can spill too much more without giving the whole movie away, but I can honestly say I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed the film, which is why I encourage you to head out to the movie theater this weekend and spend your hard earned $12 on this spectacular motion picture. Simply put, End of Watch is a story about the good cops out there; the ones we forget about when we’re getting that speeding ticket. End of Watch is in theaters September 21st, make sure to go check it out!