Title: End of Watch
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Peña
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf2K9GzgiF0
Synopsis: First of all we see a film that looks like a buddy-cop movie, with Officers Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Zavala (Peña) attaching camcorders to themselves to capture their police antics on camera. Throughout the film, we see the two partners take down many criminals, but what stands out is the relationship between them. Taylor and Zevala are more than just partners, they’re brothers, and we see this in every situation throughout the film, especially the climatic stand-off between them and the drug cartel. The poignant undertone of this film is very reminiscent of Training Day with the LAPD’s war against the cartels. But this violent, realistic and at times comedic film truly is a work of art. It’s a film that at points is a real heart-wrencher, the complex relationships we see between Taylor and Zevala, Taylor and Janet (Anna Kendrick) and Zevala and Gabby all develop to form the roller-coaster climatic ending that the film has. A truly excellent piece of film, where you can see the hard work the actors and director put into it clearly, there is a total sense of realism and the emotion you feel is almost 100% real. A really undervalued cinematic achievement.
Watch if you liked: Training Day, Pulp Fiction and Harsh Times.
Rating: 9/10– An intricate masterpiece that gives a perfect snapshot of the real world of policing in LA, a dark yet comedic thriller wonderfully translated by excellent acting.
Words by Elliott Jones