"End Of Watch"

Life as a Police Officer can not be easy on the streets of America, and in this new movie, we get to experience that life through the eyes of two of its finest officers.

Brian and Mike patrol the streets, Brian is documenting their day to day life as part of a college course that he is doing, despite the protestations of his colleagues and superiors. Would this really be allowed I ask myself?

The two Officers get involved in some high profile investigations / cases, whether it being rescuing a family from a burning house or uncovering a house filled with mutilated and dismembered boides, or a major drugs stash, they do remarkably well. It may seem far fetched, that they have all the major cases, but the thing to bear in mind is that the film is set over probably the best part of several months.
Right from the off, you get an understanding of what the characters go through, the risks they run day after day. Also the comaraderie between partners, how close they become, almost like brothers. You get involved in their lives. And that is a testament to the great acting of both Gyllenhaal and Pena.

But for a group of drug dealers, south of the border, they have become a little too high profile, and are disrupting their operations a little too much, and so action has to be taken.
Because of Brian recording his life at work on a camera, it gives the film an almost documentary style feel to it, and it very much works in its favour. It is gritty, and enhances the drama of the movie. As mentioned all the performances are great, it is wonderfully photographed, and well edited.
As the events unfold, the film does build to a climax, which I wont ruin here, but it may not be what you expect.

Live on the streets of America has never made for a more compelling film........8 out of 10