Today’s Prayer Focus
MOVIE REVIEW

Cop Out

also known as “A Couple of Cops,” “A Couple of Dicks”
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for pervasive language including sexual references, violence and brief sexuality.

Reviewed by: Raphael Vera
CONTRIBUTOR

Moral Rating: Very Offensive
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Crime Action Comedy
Length: 1 hr. 50 min.
Year of Release: 2010
USA Release: February 26, 2010 (wide—3,100+ theaters)
DVD: July 20, 2010
Copyright, Warner Bros. Picturesclick photos to ENLARGE Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures
Relevant Issues
Copyright, Warner Bros. Pictures

Every time you buy a movie ticket or rent a video you are casting a vote telling Hollywood “That’s what I want.” Why does Hollywood continue to promote immoral programming? Are YOU part of the problem? Answer


Lust

Lascivious

TRUE LOVE—What is true love and how do you know when you have found it? Answer

Adultery in the Bible

ANXIETY, worry and fear—What does the Bible say? Answer

Sin and the Bible

Prostitution

What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

Death

Final judgment

Justice

Sex, Love & Relationships
Learn how to make your love the best it can be. Discover biblical answers to questions about sex, marriage, sexual addictions, and more.
Featuring Bruce Willis (Jimmy Monroe), Seann William Scott, Rashida Jones, Michelle Trachtenberg, Jason Lee, Adam Brody, Tracy Morgan, Susie Essman, Kevin Pollak, Fred Armisen, Guillermo Díaz, Ana de la Reguera, Mark Consuelos (Manuel), Jim Norton (Hoodlum), Adrian Martinez (Tino), Eddie J. Fernandez (Junior), Sean Cullen (Captain Jack Romans), See all »
Director Kevin Smith
“Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” “Clerks,” “Dogma”
Producer Marc Platt Productions, Warner Brothers, Polly Cohen Johnsen, Mark Cullen, Robb Cullen, Marc Platt, Michael Tadross
Distributor
Distributor: Warner Brothers Pictures. Trademark logo.
Warner Bros. Pictures
, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company

New York City Police Officers Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) and Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) have been together as partners for nine years and pretty much have settled into their styles as cops: Jimmy is the straight shooting “to the point” wisecracking tough cop (think John McClane from the “Die Hard…” series) and Paul plays his “not as serious,” movie obsessed, highly jealous, but comical, partner.

When Jimmy’s daughter, his ex-wife and her new husband arrive to discuss the expensive wedding plans for his daughter, he decides to sell his rarest baseball card, valued at over $80,000, to pay for it all.

Unfortunately, when he brings the card to a collectible shop, he finds both himself and the store being robbed. Desperate to get the card back, the trail brings the duo to the underbelly of one of New York’s most dangerous Mexican gangs run by “Poh Boy” (Guillermo Diaz), who also happens to be a baseball aficionado.

Even though the guys are on his turf, Poh Boy agrees to trade the card in exchange for Jimmy finding his stolen Mercedes Benz. As Jimmy and Paul set out to find the car, they end up discovering why it’s so important, what plans “Poh Boy” has in New York and whether or not Paul’s wife, Debbie (Rashida Jones), is really having an affair.

Objectionable Content

The obscenities and profanity are very heavy and includes over 100 uses of the “f” word, 29 of s###, 10+ of a###, 8 uses of b### and SOB, 14 vulgar sexual references and over a dozen times our Lord’s names are dishonored. Running just under 2-hours, it is impossible to ignore the many curses, including, sadly, a disturbing string of profanities by a 10-year old car thief.

The sexual content includes numerous disturbing sexual remarks and scenes that are too lewd and vulgar to describe here. There is implied oral sex, and Paul talks about animal sexual practices (chimpanzees), comparing them to his own, and he describes vividly his suspicions of his wife being unfaithful. Nudity is moderate, including immodest dress, two women shown suggestively dressed in underwear with one seen repeatedly on video, and Jimmy draws a penis on fogged glass.

The violence includes multiple bloody shoot-outs—with people being shot in the head and elsewhere. Poh Boy is seen torturing a man by batting him into submission, and audiences witness some victims kneeling before being killed execution style. An electrical needle is held to the eye of a tatoo artist by Jimmy and Paul to coerce information from him. A crook crashes through a windwhield an into a gravestone, killing him.

Lessons

Paul is in constant fear of his wife straying, and since his character, as a husband, is never developed, we can only go by his own words, which indicate their relationship is a purely carnal one. The Word of God tells us that, as followers of Christ, we should no longer live this way. Rather, we are taught what true love looks like:

“It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Cor. 13:7).

While in church, Poh Boy orders a man killed, but first takes the time to kneel and pray, “Bless me father for I am about to sin.” This turn of phrase of a Catholic confessional prayer is a blasphemy, but one that most will understand is clearly wrong. We would do well to remember that the final book of the Bible speaks of his ultimate fate, as well as those of believers:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood (Rev. 22:14-15).

Ironically, Jimmy did not have to sell his baseball card, at all. His daughters’ stepfather offered to pay for the wedding himself, but Jimmy’s pride got in the way. Although the stepfather may have been using the occasion to humiliate him, Jimmy’s own pride would prove the catalyst for all the problems that came after. Certainly an example of the proverb:

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18).

Final Thoughts

“Cop Out” is a formulaic buddy movie, full of offensive stereotypes, within a storyline all too familiar. At times, I thought it was laugh out loud hilarious. But, the “R” rating is certainly earned, and, because of the abundant language and crude sexual content, it is NOT a film I can recommend for teens or Christians. While I laughed, I was simultaneously appalled by much of its content.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex: Extreme

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—I agree that the language is over-the-top. However, I know of no biblical passage describing “f bombs” or any other swear word as profane. The only true profanity is when the Lord’s name was taken in vain. The other swear words are simply slang forms of other words, and people CHOOSE to be offended by them because someone told them that those words are “bad.” Swearing aside, I thought the movie was average. It was funny at a few points throughout, but it never stood out any other way. It recalls to my mind the Bad Boys movies, which, in my opinion, were much better in both quality and writing. Sufficed to say, I can’t in good conscience give this movie a good or bad rating. It is simply, overwhelmingly average.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Dave, age 20 (USA)
Neutral

none

Negative
Negative—I am ashamed to say that I didn’t look for the review on this movie and just “didn’t think” when I saw the “R” rating. I have never been so offended and shocked in my life at a movie that covered the entire human anatomy, filth and derogatory sexual remarks to the female race!

I wanted to leave, but was with others and decided to just tough it out. BIG MISTAKE!!! God was convicting me the whole time to get up and leave. At one point I literally put my fingers in my ears because the language was getting so bad and so offensive! It actually HURT my ears! I felt so ashamed for not leaving and setting the example that I vowed to God that I would never view another movie without first checking out the Christian reviews on them.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Debi, age 56 (USA)
Negative—My wife and I went out on a date Saturday night, looking to see a comedy movie. We enjoy Tracy Morgan on 30 Rock and like Bruce Willis from his movies, so though “Cop Out” would be good for a fun night out. We knew it was rated R, so we went in with our eyes open, but were simply looking for a few laughs. Instead of comedy we got a full frontal assault of f-bombs. Well over 100 times, said repeatedly by almost every character in the movie, including kids. It was practically non-stop in almost every scene.

The theater was probably 2/3rds full and at first people were laughing. But, slowly as the movie progressed the laughing dwindled down and it became almost an awkward silence through each swear word.

When we left the theater you could hear people commenting on how the language really ruined what had the potential to be a minorly funny movie. My guess is that rather than write funny lines for the movie, the writers thought swearing would generate laughs. That can happen sometimes, but this was way, way overkill.

The bottom line is, I have seen a lot of movies in my life. In regard to the language, I think it was the most offensive movie I have ever seen. The movie isn’t very funny to begin with and isn’t worth the money to be bombarded with the language. Don’t bother to see it in the theaters or rent it. I regret spending the money on it.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Biff, age 40 (USA)
Negative—From a director who gave us the cult classic “Clerks,” I would’ve expected better. “Cop Out,” in my opinion, is a poor man’s “Lethal Weapon” movie. The plot needed a lot of work, and I didn’t see a whole lot of chemistry between Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan.

With that said, yes, the film is peppered with f-bombs and other curse words. It does contain sexual references, but there isn’t a sex scene in the entire film. There is lots of violence, as part of the plotline deals with drug dealers and gang members.

To my fellow Christians, skip this film. It’s not worth the money to either see it in a theater or rent it on DVD.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
Shannon H., age 28 (USA)
Negative—I went with my 17 year old son and a couple of other friends to see this movie—hoping for a hilarious comedy. I realized it was rated R, but was very disappointed by the amount of bad language and sexual innuendoes. Honestly, it was one of the worst R movies I’ve seen, in regard to the heavy use of bad, vulgar language. I wished I hadn’t brought my son and friends to see it and will be sure and check the christian reviews first. The movie had very few funny scenes, but could’ve been more humorous, if it wasn’t for the filthy language and taking God’s Name in vain. I felt guilty seeing it afterward. I don’t recommend this movie to anyone.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 3
David, age 45 (USA)
Movie Critics
…foul-mouthed but not funny, bullet-riddled but not exciting, crammed with contrivances that go nowhere. …
Claudia Puig, USA Today
…your standard idiotic story about buddy cops…
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
……Just because Tracy Morgan’s in it doesn’t mean it’s funny. …
Matt Pais, Chicago Tribune
…Any actual action’s an afterthought in this garrulous goof on the classic buddy-cop flick. …
Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
…hectic, desperately ingratiating…
A.O. Scott, New York Times
…a bad formula movie like every other bad formula movie. …
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
Comments from non-viewers
Negative—I was looking for a good comedy with some action, and, like others, passed on checking this Web site. BIG MISTAKE!! The first few minutes were enough for me and my wife; we both looked at each other and agreed that was enough. Blatant use of vulgarity—constantly. It’ll make me think twice before ever watching another Bruce Willis movie. Pass on this one!
Dan, age 43 (USA)