by Jon Partridge
Cop-duo movies are a dime a dozen, so you really need something different to set yourself apart. War On Everyone has two such things. First, a hilarious, blackly comic script from John Michael McDonagh (The Guard, Calvary) that has not so much lost its moral compass as smashed it to pieces. Second, the rather stellar pairing of Michael Peña and Alexander Skarsgård.
Bob Bolano (Peña) and Terry Monroe (Skarsgård) are two cops who seem to care little for the law despite wearing a badge. Bob is a family man with a beautiful and cerebral wife (Stephanie Sigman) at home with two overly indulged kids. Terry is a violent alcoholic who joined the police force on the basis that “you can shoot people for no reason.” Together, they use intimidation, violence, and blackmail to extort various criminals in Albuquerque, New Mexico. When they become aware of a upcoming robbery, they apply pressure to get a cut but soon find themselves drawn into a much larger criminal case being orchestrated by a member of the British aristocracy, James Mangan (Theo James).
Throughout McDonagh shows affection for the ’70s/’80s cop genre, the muscle cars, the flamboyant informants and villains, snappy one-liners, and leads with a self-destructive streak and disregard for authority. The homages extend far beyond Starsky and Hutch, with McDonagh channeling the essence of Shane Black, Guy Ritchie, Quentin Tarantino, and even hints of quirky surrealness that wouldn’t be out of place in a Coen brothers film. It’s quite the cocktail that immediately puts you in a heady state and pulsates with energy throughout. The tone shifts from high brow to low brow with the cocking of a gun, discussions about literature or Greek mythology interspersed between action set pieces or discussions concerning Icelandic semen. The film is a riot featuring vibrant location and characters, editing as sharp as the humor, and a funky score from Lorne Balf with musical support from Glen Campbell…yes, THE Glen Campbell.
A film of this type’s success rests largely on the chemistry of its leads, and Michael Peña and Alexander Skarsgård ensure Bolano and Monroe are a duo to be remembered. Peña again steps up to a leading role and brings his trademark charm and ability to deliver dialogue, be it with his partner, wife, or even kids. Skarsgård plays the more damaged of the two but gives his tough guy character shades of empathy while managing to strut, and occasionally stumble, through the film. They each have a partner of their own in Stephanie Sigman and Tessa Thompson (Creed!) respectively who, in spite of this being a male-centric film, give memorable turns. There are a number of suitably quirky characters filling out the film, notably Theo James relishing his role as the villainous Lord Mangan and Caleb Landry Jones as his somewhat effete, dandyish sidekick Birdwell. Malcolm Barrett is in fine form as the informant Reggie as is Paul Reiser, playing the exasperated police chief charged with keeping Bolano and Monroe in check.
While War On Everyone feels like an authentic homage to the American cop genre, it does come at a time when issues of police brutality and corruption are very much in the public consciousness. While a work of fiction, it embraces these preconceptions rather than refuting them. It’s all done rather tongue in cheek of course, but the lack of any real commentary feels like something of a missed opportunity. Also, with such loose morals among the leads, the plot needs to introduce a pretty horrific side to the criminal element to awaken Terry and Bob from their moral slumber. This aspect is introduced in something of an abrupt, ungainly fashion, but the thing most likely to throw viewers off is in the sensibilities of the film overall. As the title suggests, this is a film that lays an assault on all comers; a political incorrectness pervades the film, entwined with a dark comic sensibility. Appreciation will rest entirely on embracing this type of humor. If you chuckle at the idea of a dirty cop running over a mime out of curiosity to see if he’ll scream, then you’ll do just fine.
War on Everyone is certainly a broader film in comparison to McDonagh’s previous efforts, a fresh and liberated take on an established genre. It seeks to entertain and achieves that with style, thanks to the the infectiously irreverent pairing of Peña and Skarsgård, two cops taking a morally free joyride through the criminal underbelly of New Mexico. Perhaps the best compliment is that once the credits start to roll, you wish the ride wasn’t over.