Nobody has spent more time wallowing in the murky world of cops than David Ayer, the screenwriter who used his Los Angeles upbringing as the inspiration to focus his attentions almost exclusively on the corrupt LAPD. Not only did Ayer write the excellent Dark Blue starring Kurt Russell, but he also penned S.W.A.T., Training Day, and The Fast and the Furious. He would then turn his attention towards directing, helming Harsh Times and Street Kings. His latest film, End of Watch, covers much of the same territory as the rest, but the style with which it was shot is a turn in a different direction.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena, the story follows two longtime friends and partners working the meanest beat in south central Los Angeles. They get in way over their heads when they start investigating a violent druglord, who turns them into targets that all the local gangs are willing to cash in on. While the cast is fantastic, including Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, Frank Grillo, and Cody Horn, the story feels overly familiar, especially coming from Ayer. That may explain why he's trying to mix it up by having the entire thing done in "found footage" format, which adds a street level dynamism that powers the entire trailer.
We'll see how it all comes together when End of Watch opens on September 28th....
