Welcome to The Mundane Adventures of a Fangirl

I consider myself a Fangirl. What does that mean, you ask? A "fanboy" in the most common understanding is a hardcore fan of 'genre' based entertainment in particular. In my case - science-fiction and comic book based movies and television. Because I'm a chick - it's fangirl, not fanboy. There you have it! I am a big movie fan, however, not necessarily a 'film' fan. And now - I have the forum to present my opinions to the public! These will mainly be movie reviews -that will always be my opinion - repeat OPINION. Just what I think, and in no way do I present my opinion as fact. I hope you enjoy and maybe it will help you decide what to see at the movie theater this weekend!

Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Movie Review: Cop Shop (R – 107 minutes)

 

My goodness it is fun to see a quick little action flick.


Boss Level on Hulu earlier this year was great and raised Frank Grillo to a new level (check it out if you haven't seen it yet). Here, he reunites with director Joe Carnahan in Cop Shop.

The movie begins by introducing us to Officer Valerie Young, working at a police station in rural Nevada. Teddy Murretto is on the run from the mob and punches her in the middle of a wedding brawl to get thrown in jail, figuring he will be safe there.  Over the course of the evening, she gets to know Teddy, his pursuer, Bob, another hitman, Anthony, and has to figure out what the right course of action is to make it through the night.


This movie was such a pleasant surprise to me. The story is very straightforward and the setting is nearly claustrophobic. Everything happens in one night in the police station. Characters are given background and development through early conversations and actions.  Carnahan knows how to direct action and where I have seen him go a little over the top before, everything in this movie mostly stays contained and helps push the story. The cast is wonderful.

Frank Grillo continues to have a strong string here as Teddy Murretto.  Teddy is a little different than what I have seen him do in the past. First off, the wig is terrible, but whatever – it’s a choice.  And at no point does he lose his shirt to demonstrate his 3% body fat, which I feel like he started Boss Level doing.  He does seem to be maturing a bit and this role is a little more actor-y rather than action-y. It is certainly within his skillset and he manages to make Teddy layered with a shift at the end I was not prepared for.



Gerard Butler is better in this than I have seen him lately. Probably because he is playing an assassin who will not stop in terms of getting Teddy.  He gets himself thrown into jail so that he can get close enough to take him out and then both he and Teddy work on convincing Valerie to take their side.


Speaking of which, this movie is definitely an Alexis Louder vehicle and I cannot wait to see the next one. While the trailers try to make it seem like Butler or Grillo are the stars, Louder is the centerpiece. She is perfect as a wild west gunslinger who is too smart to fall victim to any nonsense the bad guys throw at her. She is dealing with their stupid and the stupid of some of her co-workers throughout the whole evening, bound and determined to keep doing her job well. She’s a fantastic lead, great in the action, better in the quiet parts, and really steals the show.


Toby Huss plays the crazy killer Anthony Lamb and while he is a real threat, he also managed to bring some comic beats to his scenes. Ryan O’Nan and Jose Pablo Cantillo play other police officers, along with a cameo from Keith Jardine. 

Overall, the movie is quick, contained, and very entertaining. It feels like a throwback action movie with just enough think-y bits to keep you guessing. Certainly good for an evening and big bowl of popcorn.

8 out of 10

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