In the film world, there are basic Genre breakdowns: Romantic, Horror, Comedy, and Action. These are the four main building blocks of film categories. Each section however, has its own subgenres such as action-suspense, sci-fi horror, and romantic-comedies. The more you break down the genres, the more random and unoriginal the movies get. Here in one of the deepest, darkest corners of the Action building block, we find the "buddy cop" film. And the deepest darkest corner of the "buddy cop" films, we find Cop Out.

            In New York City, two cops from differing backgrounds and attitudes are partners in the NYPD. They have been known to use their unorthodox method of crime fighting, but their chief has had the last straw and has suspended them from the force. Tough cop Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) gets robbed while trying to sell his rare baseball card so he can pay for his only daughter's wedding. He has to recruit is off-kilter partner (Tracy Morgan) to help him get back that card and try to stop a drug ring from taking over the streets of NYC.

            Feel like you've heard this story before? The entire time watching the movie, seeing the commercials for it, and reading summaries of it I felt like I had seen this film done again and again. The downside to making such a specific subgenre of film, the story is limited to having only so many original plots and characters. Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, and Rush Hour and other films of this sector have already taken most of the better plots, villain concepts, and gags.

            As predictable as the storyline was, the acting done by Willis and Morgan was wonderful. Tracy Morgan's comedic style is like a stereogram optical illusion. At first glance, you have no idea what it is or what you're supposed to see, but once you have looked at it long enough, it all of a sudden becomes very clear as to what it is. Morgan's jokes at first are a little lost on the audience because we have only been watching him in this movie for about two minutes so far. Once you become accustomed to his style he really shines and makes a memorable character. Bruce Willis is well, Bruce Willis. He has the tough guy attitude down to a fine art and I am now convinced that if I ever meet him, he would be just like the men he plays in his cop films.

            Cop Out is rated R for pervasive language including sexual references, violence and brief sexuality. The language content is in every scene, in almost every line, and in two different languages. As for the sexual references, it is quite in your face in the first scene of the movie, but after that, there is very little of it. It is interesting how one piece of a film can make or break a rating, but the sexual reference is not verbal, but visual, which makes it more pertinent. When it comes to action films, violence is expected, but it was refreshing to not see a ton of gore and body parts flying everywhere. I would recommend this movie to people who really enjoy this type of subgenre and do not care about where it ranks on the originality scale. The actors together are just enough reason to see it, but you won't be missing an Academy Award winning performance from either man.

I give Cop Out one and a half out of five fake badges. While the actors pull of a decent enough job, the lack of originality and creative efforts, this film definitely receives a ticket and a fine from this critic.