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The EGGPLANT CANTALOUP is FIRST to check out a test screening of Kevin Smith's COP OUT!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Hey folks, Harry here with the latest tale of films that we have yet to see is a newly named writer of the nom, EGGPLANT CANTALOUP, purporting to be incredibly happy with Kevin Smith's latest film, his first as a pure director, since this was someone else's script. Now, I can't lie... I really didn't like the trailer for COP OUT. But I do know a friend, that has seen the film and thoroughly enjoyed it. So, despite not liking the trailer, I've heard good word about the film by a couple of folks now. Here ya go...
I just saw a test screening for the new Kevin Smith movie, COP OUT, tonight in Chatsworth. Thought I'd offer up a small bit of analysis.
I am a moderate fan of Kevin Smith. Having grown up in New Jersey, just a couple of towns away from Red Bank, I have followed his career from the very beginning. I love Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and like most of the rest of his movies. It is hard to deny, though, that his career has been pretty stagnant. It seemed like he had decided that he is happy making the same, smallish movies he has been making over and over and letting his small, but dedicated fanbase eat his offerings up.
But COP OUT is a very different kind of Kevin Smith movie. Really, it's not a Kevin Smith movie at all. Everyone knows that this is the first film that he has directed that he did not write and as a result, he has produced his most complete film to date. That is not to say that this is necessarily his best, or my personal favorite, movie. But, it is clearly evident that COP OUT has helped Smith grow up as a filmmaker.
First of all, let me just say that the trailer for this movie sucks. It seems like whoever put it together wasn't even trying. But of the two scenes from that trailer that stuck out in my mind the most, one of them (the "We make decisions now" scene) was, thankfully, not in the film at all and the other ("no. no. no. hell no...") actually works really well in the context of the scene. This film is 100 times better than the trailer would have you believe. Someone really needs to work on that.
I'm not going to lay out the whole plot, because, really, it's all inconsequential. The plot is there, and it works, but nobody's going to see this movie to see how it ends. And I am not going to give away any of the great lines in the film, because I want people to see it.
But know this: Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis are great together. Jordan plays a cop and a husband who is fairly grounded in reality (not at all like his 30 ROCK Tracy Jordan character), only a bit paranoid (his wife, Rashida Jones, may or may not be cheating on him), a terrible actor (he plays a very unconvincing bad guy, when trying to trick a perp into giving up information), and possibly has a coke habit (the only reason I can think of for his constant sniffling).
Willis is pretty much what you would expect in this, but plays off of Morgan really, really well.
Adam Brody and Kevin Pollack play another team of detectives who are a couple of dicks. They figure into the story, but are somewhat inconsequential. Like he has in other movies though, Brody is pretty good about stealing the spotlight in the small opportunities he has.
You know what you're getting from Sean William Scott from the trailer: a wiseass. Only he does parkour, although not particularly well. He's not a star of this movie, but is very funny in a few key scenes.
Guillermo Diaz is the main bad guy and is all sort of bad ass. The dude has a habit of putting someone in a batting cage and hitting baseballs at them. Ouchies!
Smith has done a great job taking his sense of comedic timing as a director and injected it into a movie that anyone can see. And as a director, it is easily his most accomplished film. This might sound like a backhanded compliment, but this movie looks like a mid budget action movie, something I was not sure Smith was capable of. There's nothing in the action that is exception, but it works. And the comedy, the reason I am sure Smith was hired, really works. He's gotten the goods from his cast. Plus, the camera moves.... a lot!
In the end, this feels a lot like a LETHAL WEAPON movie for 2010. It's got some action, some comedy, and is just pretty much a joy to watch all the way through.
If you use this, call me EGGPLANT CANTALOUP. Because I am sure everyone will call me one.
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+ Expand All
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Serious white guy, jive talking partner, Latino villain. Oh man, what visionaries...
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We will call you one
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How convenient. Why, one could surmise this review was written by someone who hasn't seen the film at all.
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I'm a Kevin Smith fan, so I hope I'm wrong, but I keep hearing "The actual movie is better than the trailer" and I'm just not believing it.
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In fact, AICN (Beaks) posted one back in Nov. Good job.
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.. are kinda like Woody Allen movies with me. They're either hilarious or annoying, depending on the mood I'm in.
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M. Night needs to stop writing and just direct, while Kevin Smith needs to stop directing and just write. Not the other way around.
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and Tracy Morgan is the worst thing on 40 Rock.
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As long as someone can tell me the movie is much funnier than that I'll check it out. if not it'll be another inconsequential bomb like ZACK AND MIRI...
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Kind of...
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Zack n Miri was pretty fuckin funny though. That shit/anal sceen had me pissing myself with laughter
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A lot of trailers are very telling, this one is not. This movie will sell and make money like Smith always does. Go on make a mockery of him, he still is richer than you or I, because he sells tickets.
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Awesome name. Great reference to True Romance....
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I just posted a comment in the other Cop-out thread about how all the negative nitwits were faggots, and I think this COULD confirm it. Judge a movie by its trailer eh? Remember how much suck avatar was supposed to endure?
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The guy actually gives a shit about his fans and what they think, and gives plenty back to them, his free podcast is hilarious and for that reason among many reasons, I will always give him the benefit of the doubt and pony up my 12 bucks to see one of his films.
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"I liked it! Morgan and Willis have good chemistry! Yadda yadda yadda, [random plot points that could be ascertained from a cursory knowledge of the buddy cop formula even if they hadn't been covered in the film's trailer]."
I don't know about the rest of you, but my fears of Smith's downslide continuing have officially abated. -
Jan 08, 2010 3:56:39 AM CST
Kind of suspicious to have PLANT in their name, isn't?
by lhombresiniestro
But I wont even go there. I know it's gonna be a fun movie.
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Jan 08, 2010 4:06:44 AM CST
"The guy actually gives a shit about his fans and what they thin
by unchienandalou
<<d be able to do to salvage the production besides putting everyone at ease with a laid-back set atmosphere.
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With a crappy trailer (and to be honest, lugging Mr. Morgan as baggage) that movie is facing an uphill battle even more than Zack and Miri.
Thing is, whereas Zack and Miri failed by incompetence (foreseeable problems that should have been avoided) this one may fail through malicious sabotage.
In an age where trailers can put a shine on ANY turd, the only reason to have a crap trailer is if it's deliberate. -
honestly this whole film just sounds like a flop. Kevin Smith + Willis + Tracy Morgan (or Jordan? Damn 30 Rock got me fucked up) = box office poison. The trailer was a turd, and this review still doesn't really interest me. I think that Will Ferrell movie with Marky Mark will probably be better.
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Jan 08, 2010 4:41:34 AM CST
So the film is mediocre at best then? ill see it online i think.
by thedannerdaliel
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AND PUT MONEY IN BIN LADEN'S POCKET!!!!
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PASS
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Haw, just kidding, that shit is so played out. Anyway, sounds like Bruce Willis has another black guy to be a cop next to. I liked Last Boy Scout, and Tracy Morgan can be funny when he isn't being so damned pushy with his schtick, so I'll give it a shot. I would have preferred "Hudson Hawk" Bruce though, that movie is awesome and Kevin Smith playing with that character would have been all dat. Poor Sean Williams Scott, I think he took this movie just due to the title, and it sounds like he got hosed on that and not much to work with elsewise, but whatcha gonna do.
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Now I know who everybody plays in the movie.
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Got absolutely zero laughs from a packed crowd I was in. Actually heard a few "looks like shit" or "lame" comments interspersed throughout the theater.
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This is an attempt at damage control as a result of all the bad buzz from the trailer.
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Jan 08, 2010 5:56:56 AM CST
I'm sorry but this doesn't look like "Lethal Weapon for 2010"
by isleptwithkathybatesandallthatigotwasthi
Lethal Weapon was an action movie with comedy. This looks more like a comedy movie with comedy. And the kind of action you see in a Robin Williams movie as he races to get his family together for a vacation.
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That even the comedy doesn't look that great. Sorry Kevin.
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sorry but i thought Lethal Weapon had LOTS of action and LOTS of great funny scenes and was MORE than a simple joy to watch all the way through!
What sacrilege to compare with this film...it would have been better to compare with last boy scout!! -
since this movie has now fallen out of view.....
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mainly because it had that old krs-one song in it, that automatically made the trailer cool. Anyway really looking forward to this. Oh and eggPLANT we get it you work for the studio...
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I had a rambling diatribe about how much I loathe this fucknut and his made-for-MTV-level "movies" but fuck it... apathy has won over and this single sentence will have to suffice.
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Statement is a bunch of BULLSHIT...even that statement is a lie.
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that could not have been taken from freely available publicity.
In fact, I would lay money on this guy not having actually seen the movie at all.
Either that, or it's a pretty poor Planty McPlant. -
Seriously, I've heard the name a few times and have no idea why this unfunny D-bag fuckstick is co-starring with The Willis? I checked out a few clips of him on YouTube and he sucked herpies riddled asshole!!! Really, he's about as funny as babies being set on fire. Why didn't Smith work with Craig Robinson again? I thought he was great in Zack and Miri.
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Jan 08, 2010 7:38:53 AM CST
WE NEED A MOTHERFUCKIN REDBAND TRAILER FOR THIS BITCH!!!
by tehcreepythinman
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Adam Brody "stealing the spotlight... Like he has in other movies."
Seriously? Seriously? -
It's the kind of thing you'd expect from Smith and Co. "hehehe, let's send in our own 'sneak preview' review of Cop Out and put the word 'plant' in the username so we can be all meta and shit hehehe pass the fucking bong!". Oh and WHY THE FUCK isn't Smith shooting on HD? HD video was FUCKING MADE for Smith!!!FACT!!! But, no, Klein probably says "no Kevin, we need to shoot on film so I can MAYBE get hired one day to shoot for Scorsese, er, I mean, it will make you look more like an artist Kevin hehehe......sucker!"
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Adam Brody? You mean the zero charisma shitbag that people said "knew how to perform Diablo Cody's insufferable bullshit"? WTF is with all these second rate asswipes that Smith has surrounded Willis with? So far this is looking like Lethal Weapon 5 and not in a good way....
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or whatever the fuck his man is
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sorry
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.. Jordan plays... huh??? Jordan who? Did you just mention him? No. Is it someone famous we should recognize by first name only? Is Michael Jordan in this film? Did someone forget to include or happen to edit out a paragraph? Did you mean comedian Jordan Carlos?
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Couldn't have said it better myself. And Smodcast is always great, isn't it?
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And this is a comedy, right? Everything Smith does seems so forced. I don't think big-name actors take Smith seriously, and somehow every scene he shoots doesn't establish any sort of true 'reality' but always seems like bored actors reading lines in front of a camera. How does he do that? His stuff always comes across small....so very, very small..
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Folks I'm sad to announce that the once great indie flick director Kevin Smith has passed on...He died from a Taco Bell overdose whilst suffering from the 2am munchies. (Who said pot isn't dangerous?) As a lasting monument to the man a bloated, charisma free, clone hack has been brought out of the basement 'Growth Tubes' P.S this technology was previously tested on George Lucas in 1997 - and scientists believe that no-one has noticed the difference. No, honestly they don't... RIP Kevin, you will be missed.
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Pillow babies forever!!!
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Really? He uses Ouchies! in a review. Come on.
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Heck, AICN has already run a test screening review from the flick. Kevin Smith has said in interviews that was the only test screening up to this point.
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you want to slag off Smith and the View Askew crew, fine, but don't make yourself out to be an idiot while you're doing it.
I'm looking at you, TehCreepyThinMan. -
of the trailer, the "No,no,nooo,hell no, no, absolu-no, no, no....(Willis)who's there." It wasn't the Family Guy-style overdoing of the no-no-nos, but Willis' reply at the end. I think Smith really wanted to work with Willis and this is the result. Watch the dvd extra of him and Willis chatting on a backlot on the Die Hard 4 dvd. There seems to be real affection between the two. Is it the usual Smith film? No. But I'll take funny if its funny.
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I can understand the criticisms of his movies. You can like them or not. He does put himself out there more than any other director. Making movies isn't an easy thing to do and breaking into the industry like he has is unbelievably amazing. His movies make money and I hope he continues to make them.
I really liked Zach and Miri, but not as much for the comedy as for the heart. I thought Rogen's portrayal was more authentic in this movie than his others and Banks was exceptional...to me. It worked for me anyway. I hope the dude gets a blockbuster at some point if that is what he wants. ....or at least is happier about his work. -
Is it still 1990 or what?
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Because I saw changed words in the trailer?
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She's nothing like Kevin Smith.
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But this is nothing more than a rental. That said. I could swear I've seen this exact movie before.
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I would not have known. From the looks of the trailer it could've been done by any garden variety "director". Nothing special, a couple funny bits, that's about it.
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Jan 08, 2010 1:02:16 PM CST
TRACY MORGAN WAS (PERHAPS UNINTENTIONALLY?) HILARIOUS
by bringingsexyback
in his interview with Terry Gross. NPR replays it all the time because it's so bizarre. You could tell Terry's reaction was something along the lines of "this guy is going all black on me, someone please help".
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I just saw him in Mercy last night. I was like??? What fucking happened to that guy?
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http://www.maximumfun.org/2009/11/20/tracy-morgan-and-terry-gross
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Jan 08, 2010 1:41:10 PM CST
Nothing wrong with Mosier. And Klein does fine work . . .
by royston lodge
. . . when he's shooting a small, intimate flick. He doesn't seem to have the chops for lighting a bigger budget movie though, it's true.
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Jan 08, 2010 1:44:03 PM CST
Has Mosier ever produced for directors OTHER than Kevin Smith?
by royston lodge
Since Kevin's working sans-Mosier, I'd like to see a Mosier-produced movie sans-Smith. Compare the two and see how much of the aesthetic is Smith and how much is Mosier.
Same goes for Klein. -
.. of movie directors.
And I think Seth Rogan is an untalented, unfunny, annoying and forgettable hack. But at least is better than Shia Labeouf. -
I've said on these very boards that I think Clerks 2 and Zak/Miri were as good as anything John Hughes ever did and I meant that. But this is Smith’s first “director for hire” gig and rather then try to find something unique or interesting, he’s picks a fucking buddy cop movie. This is a DIRECT result of Zack/Miri not doing well at the box office. Furthermore, you have to wonder why the fuck he is STILL shooting on film?!? Doesn’t he realize that by shooting on HD he would cut his costs dramatically? His movies are mostly dialogue, so why the need to shoot on film unless Klein is the one pushing for that? Remember, DP’s are NOT your friend, no matter how long you’ve known them. Most of them have the “directors disease” where they secretly try to run the show and grab as much power as they can from the Director. They also try to get the Director to do all sorts of shit so they can have a demo reel to show off. I truly do love Smith’s work and can’t understand why he wouldn’t go the Robert Rodriguez route and have his own mini-studio, even in his own house? What the Hell would he need? Three good HD camera’s, a badass computer system to edit/do titles and a mixing room to do the sound design. You could have that set up in your average house basement. The reason I’m going on about this is because of the shit I heard about the making of Jersey Girl. The Weinstein fucks demand that Smith shoot on film specifically because they know how much it costs, which means that they can then demand that Smith cast stars to cover the cost of THE FILM he’s burning though which is probably his biggest expense. It just bugs me that Smith is the guy who made Clerks and is now reaching for the easy money rather then doing how own thing. This isn’t the case of, say, David Cronenberg making The Fly, which was a straight up commercial offer from Fox, which fit into his overall oeuvre. I’m sure that Smith giggled, in between bong hits, when he came up with the alternate title to this movie as it would be, in his mind, a clever meta joke about how he’s making a generic buddy cop movie. Sigh.....
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...for me was that it was in colour.
Seriously, I think the dialogue and the story and the acting are all great, but it would have been way better if it had been shot on Plus-X with an Arriflex SR2.
I think high-def video would be awful for a Kevin Smith movie. Shooting on film with a low budget forces you to THINK about your shots beforehand, and plan out how you're going to shoot the thing. With HD video he could just shoot and shoot and shoot and shoot and just say "we'll figure it out in post".
It would result in a very undisciplined final product. -
You just hate him because he is a skinner cooler more successful version of yourself. He is the nerd Cinderella and you are one of the step sisters. Perhaps it is yourself that you hate. THATS SOME DEEP SHIT MOTHERFUCKER .
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And he's done lots of non-View Askew work. As such, I'd wager that his career is on solid enough ground that he doesn't need to push Kevin to put in unnecessary stuff just for his demo reel. Probably. I guess. Your mileage may vary.
(Oh, and according to IMDB Mosier has Executive Producer credit on a few non-Kevin films, but only has Producer credit on two non-Kevin films - Reel Paradise and Salim Baba. I'll have to rent those two flicks to satisfy my curiosity about the View Askew aesthetic.) -
Jan 08, 2010 8:19:04 PM CST
Perhaps Smith has a future career in writing "plant" reviews,
by flip63hole
cuz this one was great!
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is " fairly grounded in reality". Not in this world. HA!
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don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Kevin Smith fan...however, nothing i've seen has been a forshadowing of an action film. if it works, great. Props to him. However, this film could reak of disappointment. Plus that scene in the car with Willis Morgan and Scott...really, am I the ONLY one who immediatly thought PULP FICTION?? I was just WAITING for Morgan's gun to blow Scott's head off.
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