Let's Be Cops Review Roundup: Find Out What Critics Think of the Buddy Comedy

New's Girl's Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. team up on the big screen

By Gabi Duncan Aug 14, 2014 8:59 PMTags
E! Placeholder Image

Are New Girl costars Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans Jr. just as magical on the big screen?

Not quite, according to reviews.

In Let's Be Cops, Ryan and Justin are longtime friends, who realize the power and status that comes with being a cop, after dressing up as police officers for a costume party. The buddies take full advantage of the situation and begin to use their fake badges to fight crime…until their hijinks land them in some hot water.

Despite a comical premise and a topless scene from The Vampire Diaries star Nina Dobrev, critics seem to agree that the Luke Greenfield-directed film for the most part falls flat and leaves viewers longing for much more.

Take a look at what they had to say!

YouTube

"The screenplay, co-written by Nicholas Thomas and director Luke Greenfield, fails to mine the potentially humorous premise for the necessary laughs, with nearly all of the gags falling thuddingly flat. As if realizing that the humor wasn't going anywhere, the film suddenly lurches into action movie territory, complete with the sort of violence and brutality that is tonally at odds with the farcical setup."—The Hollywood Reporter

"The mix of raucous buffoonery and violent mayhem isn't exactly seamless, and the laugh-out-loud moments come with conspicuously less frequency during a third act that suggests a rough draft for Bad Boys 3. Still, Let's Be Cops should generate solid late-summer box office, if only because of trailers and TV spots that smartly exploit the sporadically hilarious funny business in helmer Luke Greenfield's farce about underachievers who boost their self-esteem by pretending to be LAPD patrolmen."—Variety

"You have the right to remain silent and, for much of Let's be Cops, you will be. This alleged comedy takes a long time before it gets its first laugh in. The first half is a complete slog and the ending is insulting, but there are a few semi-arresting sketch comedy moments... But these moments are not enough to merit chasing down a ticket."—New York Daily News

"More than anything else, the movie nails the friendship aspect between Ryan and Justin. There's a good chemistry between the leads (the actors also star together on New Girl), and they each bring likeability and some dimension to characters that could have easily been cookie cutter. Let's Be Cops is good for some chuckles and a couple of big laughs, but won't keep you rolling in the aisles throughout."—IGN

"We'll remember this movie mostly as a...agh, who am I kidding? We won't remember this movie at all. Let's Be Cops has its moments, but it in no way distinguishes itself."—Vulture