'The Pickup' Can't Pickup Any Solid Laughs
When it comes to reviewing films, the toughest ones to write about are the mediocre flicks. Unfortunately, 90% of the movies that come out each year are that. How does one write "it's the same thing" over and over again without including the dreaded word "cliché?" The Pickup contains every element of a forgettable release. It's one of those films that might pop up in a conversation by name, then be dropped immediately afterwards because it left no lasting impression on the viewers. From its concept to its lame banters, there's a sameness that forces me to write about the film before it forever leaves my consciousness in a landfill of other generic comedies.
Last week, a little reboot came out that schooled other comedies on how the genre should be done. The Naked Gun was a return to form that had been sorely missed in comedies over the last 20 years. The quality of that film greatly diminishes what a movie like The Pickup has to offer, since this film is exactly what's wrong with comedies today. Most comedies carry a certain amount of cynicism that reflects the times in which we live. The Pickup can be seen as a lighthearted action movie, but it's not all that light when you think about it.
Most of the jokes in The Pickup revolve around characters roasting each other. It's more about putting the other person down while giving the world the middle finger, rather than delivering something heartfelt. If one were to guess, half of this movie's humor is improvised. Everyone wants to emulate Larry David's Curb Your Enthusiasm magic by creating a scenario for the actors to bounce their improvisational skills off of. The only problem is that sort of writing style only works for that specific show. Here, most of the insults, in fact 98% of them, aren't funny. With the exception of three jokes, most of the humor falls flat. One joke involving Androids being phones for broke people and a 'black don't crack' line that made it into the trailer land. You know your movie isn't working very well when Andrew Dice Clay is one of the more entertaining characters.
The story revolves around two individuals with opposite personalities who are paired up one day to transport money from an armored vehicle delivery to a specific location. Russell Pierce (Eddie Murphy) is the straight shooter who just wants to switch careers so he can live a more stable life with his wife, Natalie (Eva Longoria). His partner for the day is an annoying millennial mental delinquent who means well. Travis Solley (Pete Davidson) wants to be a cop but isn't smart enough to pass the tests required to become one. So he's stuck making armored deliveries. It's the typical Lethal Weapon pairing. At some point, I was expecting Eddie Murphy to say, "I'm too old for this S." The two work well together, but only at a serviceable level.
It's usually funnier when serious actors try to do comedy because they play the material straight, unaware that they're in a comedy. Although Murphy plays a role that's closer to his serious, real-life persona, Pete Davidson exaggerates everything, as if he's in one of his SNL sketches. During the unfortunate duo's delivery, they're stopped by a group of armed terrorists led by Zoe (Keke Palmer) who aim to seize the cash. Keke's character has an interesting arc that's unfortunately underutilized in a contrived romance that wraps with an overly convenient, questionable ending.
When the action ramps up, there's not much to show off. It's your typical underwhelming car chases and explosions that don't need to be seen on the big screen. Luckily, you won't have to make the long, unnecessary trek to the theater to see this film. The Pickup will be available on Amazon Prime this Friday. But do yourself a favor. If you can go to the theater, see The Naked Gun instead. Its lighter humor and positivity are something we need. Not dull, angry movies that have half-thought-out jokes.
