Shot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends, and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.
In South Central Los Angeles, street cops Brian and Mike are partners - balls-out cowboys patrolling the streets as Latino gangs are in a power struggle with Blacks. Brian and Mike get lucky a couple of times, making big drug and human-trafficking busts, so a Mexican cartel orders their deaths. We meet Mike's pregnant wife (whom he married out of high school) and watch Brian's search for a soul mate. There are internal squabbles within the ranks of the LAPD and lots of squad-car conversation. Can the lads escape the cartel's murderous reach?Written by
<jhailey@hotmail.com>
The scene where Janet and Brian are singing in the car during a road trip was unscripted. Jake Gyllenhaal and Anna Kendrick were driving around with the director in the back seat filming different scenes for the movie. At one point between takes, "Hey Ma" by Cam'ron came on the radio and Gyllenhaal and Kendrick started to sing along and the director began to secretly film them. Both Gyllenhaal and Kendrick were completely unaware that the moment had been caught on camera until they watched the movie at a screening. See more »
Goofs
During the ending scene with a convoy of police cars, the police cars are clearly not LAPD, but of a different department (Different decals, lightbars. Also most LAPD crown vics don't have pushbars, while those in the scene do.) See more »
Quotes
[first lines]
Brian Taylor:
I am the police, and I'm here to arrest you. You've broken the law. I did not write the law. I may even disagree with the law but I will enforce it. No matter how you plead, cajole, beg or attempt to stir my sympathies, nothing you do will stop me from placing you in a steel cage with gray bars. If you run away I will chase you. If you fight me I will fight back. If you shoot at me I will shoot back. By law I am unable to walk away. I am a consequence. I am the unpaid bill. I am ...
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Crazy Credits
This film is dedicated to the men and women of the law enforcement community who face danger daily on our behalf. It is especially dedicated to our fallen heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. This is for all that fight evil so we may not know it. God bless you all. See more »
Most cop movies live or die by the chemistry between the leads. End of Watch features excellent chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Pena, which elevates the film a notch above the typical cop drama. The found-footage style of filmmaking works pretty well for police movies in that it adds a grittiness necessary to realistically represent the story. There are plenty of tense moments and thrilling sequences to satisfy any action junkie, but the moments focusing on the characters and their lives is where End of Watch shines. The point of this film is to portray a realistic life as a police officer in the LA ghetto and the film definitely succeeds in that regard.
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Most cop movies live or die by the chemistry between the leads. End of Watch features excellent chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Pena, which elevates the film a notch above the typical cop drama. The found-footage style of filmmaking works pretty well for police movies in that it adds a grittiness necessary to realistically represent the story. There are plenty of tense moments and thrilling sequences to satisfy any action junkie, but the moments focusing on the characters and their lives is where End of Watch shines. The point of this film is to portray a realistic life as a police officer in the LA ghetto and the film definitely succeeds in that regard.