End of Watch (2012)

Jose Newman32 said:they were actually out there patrolling LA for a few months just to get the vibe right, and they even stumbled into some gang shootouts and saw wounded people firsthand...
Either way, you can really tell that effort translated onto the screen...

For me, this is easily one of the best cop movies I've seen in years.

Oh, absolutely, I'm with you on that. Honestly, this hits as one of my all-time favorites from the last decade or so.

Agreed—it’s an excellent film.
cosmiclynx57, thanks for the recommendation. 👍

"What's up, man?" "You're my brother, bro." "God, man... just... damn..."

That’s basically 90% of the dialogue in this flick. 🙄

I don't even know how to explain it, but from the opening frame, the whole thing just felt forced, pretentious, and totally fake.
Holy hell, those two cops talk more than two hyperactive teenagers at a mall.
And honestly? I highly doubt cops patrolling neighborhoods like that actually deal with that much mindless chatter.
The camera work got on my nerves fast, too—it’s the biggest giveaway that this whole production is just style over substance.
Peña isn't cut out for roles like this anyway; he doesn't have the neck for it.

This one track is definitely the absolute best part of the entire movie. 👍

Plus, the ending was so predictable it made me want to throw my remote.

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As a fan of the top-tier series The Shield, this movie hit home just 😁

While it lacks a heavy-hitting plot—making a high rating a bit of a stretch—it definitely kept me hooked right until the end. Plus, that finale? Absolutely brilliant and totally unexpected!

Patrick Martin said:"what's up, dude?" i "you're my bro, bro" i "fuck man, fuck fuck fuck..."

That's basically 90% of the dialogue in this movie.🙄

In reality, that’s pretty much how two guys talk when they spend over eight hours a day together in tight quarters, forced to bond and trust each other just to get the job done.

On the IMDb forums, some actual cops chimed in saying this is a literal transcription of daily life between average partners on duty. One guy pointed out that because partners spend so much time together, they burn through all the serious or creative topics fast, leaving their conversation to dwindle down to exactly what you see on screen.

You have to recognize that kind of realism instead of just dismissing it as bad writing.

Patrick Martin said:and an ending so predictable it's infuriating.

I wonder what they would have even said if both characters had survived and gone on to live happy lives with their partners.

As soon as I saw "found footage" on the description, I was basically out—game over. Honestly, I just can't stand that whole found footage trope.

rowdyorca said:It basically sounds like how two guys talk when they’re stuck together for over eight hours a day in some tight-knit circle, doing stuff where they have to get real close, open up, and trust each other just to get the job done.

Over on the IMDb boards, some actual cops even chimed in, saying this was a dead-on representation of how average partners on duty actually interact. One guy pointed out that because partners spend so much time glued to each other, they burn through their "pool" of deep or creative topics fast, so their small talk eventually settles into exactly what you see in the movie.

You gotta recognize stuff like that instead of just writing it off as the movie being stupid.

Look, I think we’re talking past each other here. I’m not saying that conversation doesn't happen in real life—I get that. What I’m trying to say is that the director spent way too much time on all that empty chatter; after a while, it just gets exhausting to sit through.

rowdyorca said:I wonder what he would’ve even said if they both survived and went on to live happily ever after with their partners.

Everything was leaning toward a tragic ending anyway. There was just too much melodrama dragged out through the whole film.
Babies being born, weddings, parties, celebrations, all that nonsense...

cosmicharbor49 said:The moment I saw it was labeled as found footage, I was completely turned off. I have an inherent distaste for that whole found footage gimmick.

True, however, this doesn't strictly fall into the found footage category; the stylistic choice is actually justified by the script and lacks the amateurish quality typically found in horror movies.

Man, why is it so damn hard to just say SPOILER when you're out there breaking down the freaking plot of a movie? Seriously, dude...

The film is simply superb—the direction, the cast, the cinematography, even the production design... everything just clicks. It was quite a shock, honestly, given how many terrible movies have been made about this subject matter in the past.

Patrick Martin said:Look, I think we’re talking past each other. I’m not saying they wouldn't talk like that in real life. My issue is just that the director spent way too much time on that empty dialogue. After a while, it just gets tedious.

Everything was clearly leading toward that miserable ending. The movie dragged on with far too much melodrama.
Babies being born, weddings, parties, celebrations, all that nonsense...

Listen, those are all just devices. The director uses them to build a connection between the audience and the characters, which then allows him to manipulate how you feel through the plot twists.

I don't know why you couldn't connect with anyone, though. Personally, the movie ran me through the wringer—joy, happiness, anxiety, pure bliss, sadness, suspense. If a film can actually trigger that kind of emotional response in an audience, it’s a massive success.

briskhound2 said:God, how fucking hard is it to just say fucking SPOILER when you're out here rambling about the fucking plot of a movie? Seriously, man!

Yo, what's good?

rowdyorca said:But I don't get why you couldn't connect with any of the characters. While I was watching, I was riding this roller coaster of joy, happiness, anxiety, pure bliss, shock, sadness, and anticipation. Any movie that can trigger that kind of emotional chaos in an audience is a massive win.

spoiler alert!!!!
Because that whole thing isn't nearly as pretty as the movie makes it look. Like, those family dynamics aren't some perfect little Hallmark moment. It’s a total circus every single day. That’s why I couldn't buy into that laid-back, joking-around vibe—both from them and the people hanging around them. 😁

Man, those two were basically competing to see who could screw up worse by trying to "do their own thing," which is just code for taking stupid risks.

But hey, maybe you just lose your mind after a while from all the stress and eventually stop caring. It's like, you make life easier if you just treat everything like one big joke, otherwise, you're totally screwed. Hard job.