Today’s quick review: War on Everyone. Bob Bolano (Michael Pena), a talkative cop, and Terry Monroe (Alexander Skarsgard), his hard-drinking partner, use their badges to extort money and drugs from small-time criminals. When Bob and Terry catch wind of a large robbery in the works, they start looking for the mastermind behind it so they can take their cut. But as the investigation turns messy, they must decide how far they are willing to go.
War on Everyone is a crime comedy about a pair of dirty cops. Bob and Terry are quintessential egoists, brazen criminals who see the police force as a means to an end. The movie centers around their antics in pursuit of easy money, ranging from shaking down suspects for cash to their efforts to get in on the pending robbery. War on Everyone offers black humor and a decent plot, but its inconsistent tone and mediocre script keep it from going far.
To the movie’s credit, Michael Pena and Alexander Skarsgard play well off one another. Pena takes on the role of Bob, a brainy cop with a flippant attitude and a tendency to run his mouth, while Skarsgard plays Terry, his laconic bruiser of a partner. Loose morals, affability, and naked greed are their defining characteristics. At their best, the two slip into a natural rhythm that’s perversely enjoyable to watch.
However, War on Everyone struggles to make use of its characters. The plot has a couple of nice twists, but neither the robbery nor the investigation amounts to much in the end. The tone hovers uncomfortably between harmless fun and moral bankruptcy. Bob and Terry aren’t entirely irredeemable, but their likable criminal shtick wears thin quickly. The movie has a hard time humanizing them, in spite of its best efforts.
As a result, War on Everyone is an irreverent and amusing watch that falls short of what it’s trying to accomplish. Bob and Terry have potential, but the film gets as far as their devil-may-care attitude and stops. The best parts of the film resemble Pulp Fiction or Jackie Brown, but War on Everyone just doesn’t have the consistency to reach its full potential. Give it a watch if you enjoy the funny, twisted side of the crime genre.
For another movie about a crooked cop, check out Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans. For a crime comedy with better style and a more intricate plot, check out Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels. For a fuller realization of a similar vision, check out Pulp Fiction.
5.8 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for two solid leads and a misplayed hand.