'END OF WATCH'

'END OF WATCH' (R) (4 STARS) (HIGHEST RATING)

Written and Directed by David Ayer
Actors: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Natalie Martinez, Anna Kendrick, Frank Grillo, Cody Horn, America Ferrara, David Harbour.

What a punch in the gut and emotional experience watching "End of Watch" was and I did not expect it. I expected a shaky camera, found footage type cop movie that would have cliches and a plot that would be familiar and melodramatic. I expected violence and a crooked cop movie. What I got was an emotionally draining movie with hilarious moments and then shocking moments that crawled under my skin and then finally made me cry. This is from the same writer that wrote "Training Day" but this is ten times better.

"End of Watch" follows two young cops on duty in Los Angeles named Taylor and Zavala. One is white and the other is Hispanic and they are like brothers and have an implied connection. We follow them through a few days on duty where they make fun of other cops, perform some admirable deeds and also encounter a lot of intense danger. We instantly like these two and a lot has to do with the two actors portraying them. Taylor is played by Jake Gyllenhaal and Jake has been very good before but this might be his best performance so far. Zavala is played by Micheal Pena (Crash) who gives a star making performance here.

"End of Watch" starts with that shaky camera and the cops are miked and Taylor is filming their day on video for his film class. Though I forgot about the camera after the first half hour for I started to really get involved with following these two men. The movie starts out with great humor as Taylor and Zavala talk to each other and make fun of each other and of their peers. The dialogue and chemistry between the two is electric. The dialogue is fast, witty, entertaining and hilarious and I laughed a lot and at one point I laughed so much I cried tears. Gyllenhaal and Pena are so great together that I think Oscar talk should be directed towards them.

Both actors make us like them quickly and we want to follow them every step of the way. Director David Ayer does a remarkable job capturing some mundane moments that the cops encounter and then shocks us with a few intense moments. The situations that these men go through are somewhat familiar but a few are original and affect us deeply. There are a few moments where I froze and couldn't breathe and a final moment that made me cry for a few minutes and that is because we have invested so much in these characters and we love them. The movie does a great job building these character's chemistry and that is due to the well written dialogue. The moments where the two men just talk about girlfriends, life and their job are suspenseful on their own.

When we get to the intense and emotional final moments we are fully invested in these guys and don't want anything bad to happen to them. By the end we are on the edge of our seats. Jake Gyllenhaal is excellent here and I think this might be his best performance so far. Michael Pena has always been an excellent character actor but here he gives a performance that should make him a star and get him lead roles.

I went through all the emotions with this movie, was on the edge of my seat, laughing out loud and then choking up with tears. I also must mention Anna Kendrick and Natalie Mendoza who are great as the two officer's significant others. When the men are in danger I thought about the women right away because they are so well drawn and well played by the two actresses. That is the sign of a cop movie that is deeper than it should be and that is why "End of the Watch" is one of the best cop movies ever made and easily one of the best pictures of 2012!