Review: End of Watch
David Ayer is the master of creating movies that explore the seedy underworld of police corruption. Ayer’s genesis of Detective Alonzo Harris in Training Day was genius enough to help Denzel Washington win an Academy Award. With End of Watch, Ayer takes us on an exploration of the white-hat side of law enforcement -- we get to hang out with the good guys this time.
End of Watch follows the life of Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña), two run-of-the-mill beat cops who patrol one of the rougher neighborhoods in South Central Los Angeles. Taylor and Zavala find themselves in the crosshairs of a Mexican drug cartel after they arrest one of its members transporting narcotics and firearms.
On the surface, End of Watch may appear to be your typical buddy movie. In certain ways it is, but in reality it is much much more. This story is about the tightly knit fraternity that surrounds the world of law enforcement. Law enforcement officers are part of an extended family that consists of other law enforcement officers, their friends and families.
The movie does an admirable job of capturing the realities of the police-officer lifestyle, from simple locker-room banter to mundane conversations in the front seat of a patrol car, and more pressing concerns like backing up fellow officers in danger. No reality is left unexplored. The script is realistic in its portrayal of what it is actually like being a police officer.
End of Watch is shot as thought it were a blend of found footage gathered from multiple sources. You experience car chases from police dashboard cameras, friendly banter is caught on handheld cameras and foot chases are recorded using "pen" cameras attached to the officers' uniforms. Fast-moving found footage films like this can be a bit disconcerting to watch, but when this technique is employed by the hands of a skilled filmmaker like Ayer, you cannot help but become immersed in the action.
The performances from Gyllenhaal and Peña are convincing. Both actors bring a depth to their respective characters. We as viewers experience the emotional highs and lows of each officer's life. The dialogue delivered feels almost improvised and that is testament to the skill of the actors as they immerse themselves into their roles.
This picture takes us on a journey into the lives of contemporary law enforcement officers, from squad rooms to squalid crack dens. End of Watch immerses you into the mean streets of the inner city and exposes you to a harsh reality you hopefully will never experience. You should take a ride.