End Of Watch

So I really like police action movies and here is a new one written and directed by David Ayer, whose past credits include Training Day, which he wrote, and Street Kings, which he wrote and directed.  Ayer has a ton more on his CV that I also really enjoy.
It's split between found footage type camera and regular camera aka normal movie, so there is not an abundance of shaky cam.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena play Police officers, partners on duty and also best friends. We follow them over a period of time and there seems to be a genuine friendship onscreen. From each call out they start getting more well known throughout the LAPD and become the golden boys. With their careers progressing along with their personal lives nothing can go wrong. Every call out getting closer to a bigger fish in the pond, the boys have to start watching their backs.

I can't believe you got me to shave my head by saying you'd shave yours and then you didn't ahahahahaha!

The acting in this movie is first class, everyone from the top billed cops to the smallest speaking role are fantastic.
A particular stand out scene is a routine raid on a party where Gyllenhaal and the local drug lord have a few words and then a long stare at each other, the stare speaking louder than the words.

Pena Didn't know what to make of Gyllenhaal's experimental dance troupe

This movie is very well written and directed. Ayer seems to be the go to guy for LA cop movies but that is for a good reason, in my opinion the guy is a real talent. There is a fair amount of action in the movie ranging from fist fights to extremely well staged gunfights, the shaky cam really didn’t affect my enjoyment. That could be that it is not all found footage type storytelling.
The movie is very well paced, doesn’t drag and held my attention throughout.

See this movie for the acting, the action, a great story about friendship and what you’d do for a mate. I’m a big fan of David Ayer and his next movie is TEN starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. I get the feeling it will launch Ayer into the big big time and give Arnie his first non franchise hit in years but I hope The Tomb does it first.

I give End of Watch a huge huge thumbs up.
- The Doc