One of Gerard Butler’s most overlooked movies has suddenly taken Netflix by storm after it failed to find an audience in 2021. Called a “throwback” to pulp 70s classics and 90s action thrillers, Copshop is reminiscent of John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13 and stars Butler as Robert K. “Bob” Viddick, a professional hitman locked inside a cell opposite Frank Grillo’s Theodore “Teddy” Murretto, a con artist on the run.
Directed by Joe Carnahan (The Rip), Copshop hit theaters on Sept. 17, 2021. Its budget topped off at $43 million, but unfortunately the film was the victim of bad timing, and only made $6.8 million. Not only were theaters trying to recover from the pandemic, but Copshop was up against juggernauts like Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It didn’t help matters that Carnahan and Grillo were both upset at the studio over creative differences, which caused the director to be largely absent from the film’s promotional tour, and Grillo to go on social media and complain that his performance had been “castrated.” The official synopsis reads:
On the run from a lethal assassin (Butler), a wily con artist (Grillo) devises a scheme to hide out inside a small-town police station, but when the hitman turns up at the precinct, an unsuspecting rookie cop finds herself caught in the crosshairs.
‘Copshop’ Featured a Breakout Performance by Alexis Louder
While Butler and Grillo were the clear headliners of Copshop, the movie proved to be a vehicle for Alexis Louder to showcase her talents. Previously appearing in movies like Black Panther as “Nigerian Woman #2” and The Tomorrow War as “Diablo,” Copshop allowed Louder to shine as the rookie cop caught in the middle of Butler and Grillo’s beef, trying to decide who the lesser of two evils is. Audiences came for the two action stars, but left talking about Louder when it was all said and done. As critic Michael Medved put it:
“The tension and the brutality never lets up, but it’s well-played, especially by newcomer Alexis Louder who is simply outstanding as the charismatic policewoman at the center of all the action.”
‘Copshop’ Is One of Gerard Butler’s Highest Rated Movies
Now streaming on Netflix, Copshop is the second most popular movie on the platform in the United States. It seems a lot of people are discovering what critics already knew, which is that it’s a fun action thriller that doesn’t let up once it kicks things into high gear. Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a strong rating of 83%, it’s actually one of Butler’s highest rated movies behind the How to Train Your Dragon animated trilogy.
“What a fun throwback movie,” wrote critic Zach Pope in his review, continuing: “I smiled, I laughed, and I just sat there having the time of my life. It’s a bit overly long, but they don’t make movies all too much like this one!” Peter Gray added:
“What very easily could have been a throw-away genre vehicle, Copshop is an alarmingly witty and consistently entertaining effort that benefits from the usual live-wires of Butler and Grillo downplaying their personas.”
With an audience score of 74%, it’s clear that Copshop is definitely one that Butler fans should check out sooner rather than later. Look for this fun throwback action thriller streaming now on Netflix.
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