It’s no secret that Hollywood breaks from reality when they produce movies. And yet most of us watch those movies, don’t we? My career was in law enforcement so naturally, I like to watch cop movies. And of course, that comes with my complaining as I point out discrepancies in each cop movie I watch.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those guys who thinks everything must be perfect, but some moves are pretty farfetched.
While the best cop films offer a thrilling mix of action, suspense, and character development, they often trade authenticity for dramatic effect. From improper use of firearms to absurd tactics, filmmakers prioritize entertainment over realism.
But again, the point of most movies is to provide entertainment for the viewer, right?
If you enjoy a good cop movie, there are some that are still pretty good, even with the unrealistic scenes. Old classics like Dirty Harry, Lethal Weapon, and others have been covered many times before. Today, we are looking at more recent films.
End of Watch (2012)
This movie is probably about as realistic as it gets when portraying a cop’s life on the big screen. It’s also my favorite all-time cop movie.
The movie starts on a ride with two LAPD officers, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña). Most of the movie is filmed in a documentary-style format. This isn’t my favorite style of filming, but they pulled it off in this one.
As the story progresses, you get a raw look at the daily challenges that law enforcement faces daily. From intense gunfights to lighthearted camaraderie, Universal Studio’s 2012 film End of Watch gives an inside look at the bond between partners while responding to a variety of calls.
The firearms roster in this film is interesting, but of course not all accurate. In one of the beginning scenes, Taylor shows the camera his “Glock 19” which is really a Glock 22. I’m not sure how the movie crew got this wrong. The gun even says “Glock 22” on the slide and is visible on the big screen.
During a traffic stop, the cop duo arrests a gang member and recovers drugs, money, and some guns. The handgun was a bedazzled 1911 handgun, and a flashy, gold-plated AK which was quickly dubbed “Liberace’s AK.”
What End of Watch gets right is the chaotic, unpredictable nature of police work. The action sequences feel visceral and grounded, though the sheer volume of dramatic incidents stretches it a little. Like any good movie, it has an emotional ending that makes you hold back tears.
To Catch a Killer
Released in 2023, Vertical Entertainment’s To Catch a Killer stars Shailene Woodley as Eleanor Falco. Falco is a talented yet troubled city cop who gets recruited by the FBI on a task force to catch a mass shooter. The film’s plot revolves around the investigation, showcasing the psychological toll such a case can take on cops.
Ben Mendelsohn plays the FBI lead investigator Geoffrey Lammark. His gruff demeanor contrasts with Falco’s vulnerability, but this also makes them a good team.
The movie’s firearms are less flashy but still notable. In the movie, the FBI believes the shooter is using an XM21 sniper rifle. This rifle was the precursor to the US military’s M21 sniper rifle.
For those who like to see some AR-15s blasting away, there is a short gunfight at the end between police and the suspect. FBI agents and local Sheriff’s deputies blast away at an old cabin with decked-out AR-15 rifles.
While this movie is full of exaggerated twists and turns, it does show the effect of politics interfering with important investigations. This unfortunately really happens and often hinders the good catches from catching the bad guys.
During the movie, some profiling is shown as the cops try to figure out who the killer is. When things go bad in a shopping mall, the killer runs his shoestring through a bunch of grenades and yanks the pins out all at once. Of course, this makes a big boom and allows him to get away.
As you would expect, the star of the movie catches up to the killer for a dramatic ending. For a mass killer/investigative movie, this one isn’t bad at all.
Longlegs
The Saturn Films Production 2024 movie Longlegs takes a darker turn, blending cop drama with elements of horror. If you like scary movies, this one may be right up your alley. The movie follows FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she investigates a series of ritualistic murders. The movie takes an interesting turn when a mysterious killer known as Longlegs (Nicholes Cage) emerges. Cage plays a creepy clown-esc killer who appears to have gone mad.
While there are not a lot of firearms used in Longlegs, the few scenes that have them are pretty dramatic. Close to the beginning of the movie, an FBI agent is killed right in front of Lee Harker.
Here is where reality starts to flee the movie. When the agent takes a shot to the head, Harker pauses like she is deciding what to do and then pulls her gun out. I would hope a real FBI agent would react much faster than that. Also, she never calls for backup but continues to search the home by herself.
Harker carries a Sig Sauer P229, a common choice for FBI agents at the time. The killer uses a possessed doll as his main weapon. The doll in turn causes others to become evil.
While Nicholes Cage does a fantastic job playing a psycho killer in this movie, not much is realistic. This is fine, however, because it’s about a possessed doll so what would you expect?
The FBI agent has one partner and a third person who offers some help. There isn’t anything remotely realistic in this film, but for a creepy movie with cops hunting down a crazed killer, it’s’ an interesting flick.
The Little Things (2021)
Warner Bros.’ 2021 The Little Things stars Denzel Washington as Joe “Deke” Deacon, a washed-up deputy sheriff who used to be a detective in a larger city. He teams up with young detective Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to catch a serial killer. Jared Leto plays the prime suspect, Albert Sparma, delivering a performance that’s as creepy as it is compelling. The film focuses on the moral gray areas of police work and the cost of obsession.
I like the overall plot of the movie, although I think the ending is a bit anticlimactic. Nevertheless, it has some great acting and is suspenseful throughout most of the film.
There are not many guns in this movie either, but it’s a thriller nonetheless. It shows some of the long boring hours put into investigating a case. In one scene, they sit in a car just about all night watching a suspect’s home. But who wants to watch that? Don’t worry, not long after, they break into the suspect’s home to find evidence. This would never happen in real life, but hey, it’s the movies.
While the film nails the eerie, slow-burn atmosphere, it falters in its procedural accuracy. Certain investigative techniques are completely wrong, but we expect this to a point. It’s a thriller, and who doesn’t like Denzel?
No Country for Old Men
Like a lot of other movies, Coen Brothers’ 2007 film No Country for Old Men blurs the lines between cop movie and crime thriller. The film follows Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) as he investigates a chaotic case of greed and violence.
The plot centers on Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong and takes a suitcase of cash. If you’ve seen any movies, you know that’s a bad idea! This sets off a deadly chain of events as the movie unfolds.
Javier Bardem’s portrayal of hitman Anton Chigurh is nothing close to realistic, but still pretty cool. His weapon of choice is an air tank with a bolt gun. You can also find a Colt Python revolver, and a sawed-off shotgun during some of the gun scenes.
Sheriff Bell’s introspective narration adds depth and makes for an interesting character. But again this isn’t quite how a murder investigation would unfold.
This is not a traditional cop movie, but it’s a great film with some strange twists. Tommy Lee Jones does great at playing the old-school no-nonsense Sheriff who is determined to catch the killers.
Are they worth watching?
Movies are never a good place to learn anything. So, if your goal is to learn more about cops and what their lives are like, I would steer clear of most movies and shows. You see the action, not the hours and hours of report writing and dealing with non-exciting calls.
But if you like the drama and excitement added just for the big screen, these five movies are great ones to try out. You get to see some guns, some police in action, and some bad guys get caught. That’s not a bad way to spend the weekend while you cook some steaks on the grill.
