A must watch for fans of a particular Tarantino movie…
2021 was kind of the year for overlooking stuff, to be fair.
It was 12 months of mostly wanting to rewatch comfort viewing at home, and if anything got a cinema release, chances are audiences gave it a miss unless it was something truly gargantuan, like Spider-Man: No Way Home.
So a tense, Tarantino-esque action thriller was likely to fall between the cracks in 2021, which is why a movie like Copshop ends up with less than $7 million at the global box office.
But that is a real shame, as it truly is a tightly entertaining story of violent double-crosses and psychopathic hired killers, all from the director of Liam Neeson’s best movie.
Copshop revolves around a con artist (Frank Grillo) who gets arrested on purpose by a determined rookie police officer (a scene-stealing turn by relative newcomer Alexis Louder) thinking it will keep him safe from an assassin hot on his trail. What he doesn’t expect is the assassin (Gerard Butler, having a ball) to also get arrested, and get put in the cell right next to him.
Or, if you’re looking for a shorthand description, it is kind of like Reservoir Dogs with loads more shoot outs.
Stacking up an impressive 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie was met with some very positive reviews when it was released (briefly) in cinemas in September last year:
Los Angeles Times – “Copshop is an enjoyable, slow-burn action movie featuring a smart script, sharp direction, strong cast — and the emergence of a possible star.”
AV Club – “Everyone on screen appears to be having the time of their lives gnawing on the rare slab of beef they’ve been thrown.”
Slant – “With its pulpy thrills, hyperbolic dialogue, charismatic scumbags, and a score heavy in electronic effects and percussion, the film effortlessly coasts on a gnarly old-school vibe.”
Vulture – “It’s clever but not cute, savage but not depressing, and cartoonish but not asinine.”
Copshop is available to watch on Prime Video as of today, and you can check out our exclusive interview with Gerard Butler and Alexis Louder right here:
Clip via MovieClips
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