Netflix’s Almost Cops tries to mix comedy with action but ends up a dud. Read our in-depth review on why it failed, with insights, stats, and viewer reactions.
Almost Cops Review: A Comedy Misfire for Netflix?
In this golden age of streaming content, expectations are at an all-time high. Each time a new buddy cop comedy hits Netflix like Almost Cops, there are hopes that it will deliver exciting action, laugh-out-loud moments, and fun banter with interesting characters. Unfortunately, it can be said that Despite a premise that promised laughs and thrills from start to finish, Almost Cops turned out to be a disappointing miss with lots of potential for laughs along the way.
Before we get too far into this review, let’s unpack why this particular film, which had all the markings of a winner for Netflix, felt like a comedic cop drama and not much else.
The premise had potential – so what happened?
Almost Cops is about an unlikely buddy cop team: a diligent community officer and disgraced former detective, who work together to track down a serial killer who is attacking a sleepy little town. On the surface, it has all the elements that could play out well on the big screen; a mismatched duo, signs of crime and tension, challenges with bureaucracy, and their own emotional baggage to deal with along the way. In short, the classic buddy cop film.
However, great ideas don’t always end up being great films or series. In this instance, from the opening credits, the film falteringly dips in and out of tonal direction, stumbles through cringe-worthy and creaky dialogue, and falls flat with many of the gags.
What Doesn’t Work:
Variable Humor: Jokes fall anywhere from barely funny to painfully unfunny. Slapstick is used too much and you won’t find any intelligent banter.
Underwhelming Plot: The story is unurgent. The killer isn’t interesting and there is no build-up of tension.
Weak Characters: The buddy cop needs a dynamic without it, both leads are poorly developed and difficult to invest in.
An Average Look into the Performers: Stars Without a Shine
It is hard to have a buddy cop movie without performances and sadly, Almost Cops does not offers much in this area.
No Spark between the Duos
The Community Officer is supposed to be the earnest soul of the film. Unfortunately the performance felt stiff to the point it was hard to invest in the character development.
The Ex-Detective, as the supposed ‘wildcard’ appears to the be more of a cliché of an alcoholic, jaded, grizzled character with no advancement of the character away from the stereotype.
Not even seasoned actors can save a poorly written piece. Youtube reviewers ScreenTime Breakdown and RealTalk Reviews pointed out “the unbelievable lack of chemistry between the cast members” and many stated, “when felt like I was watching a practice, they weren’t performing.”
Missed Opportunities: Where Almost Cops Could Have Succeeded
This is not all doom and gloom. There is a skeleton of a better movie still buried under the rubble. If Almost Cops had paid closer attention to its production and execution, it may have had a chance of succeeding.
So, What Would Have Worked?:
Improved Character Dynamics: Rush Hour or 21 Jump Street come to mind, where part of the charm and humor feel special through the juxtaposition of the leads and their chemistry.
Improved Dialogue: Comedy is often about timing and tone, this film needed to punch it up on both fronts.
Improved Editing: Pacing is key, it feels endless. With tighter editing and better editing choices, the movie could be more lively.
What Are Critics Or Audiences Saying? (With Stats!)
YouTube and Rotten Tomatoes audiences did not hold back their feelings.
Rotten Tomatoes (Audience Score): 36%
IMDB: 4.1/10
YouTube Reviews Sentiment (Analysis on content of over 20 videos):
Negative: 72%
Neutral: 20%
Positive: 8%
A Scene Analysis: The Place Where Everything Went Off the Rails
One scene in particular features the duo breaking into a suspect’s apartment while the stakes are supposedly “high.” The scene has been played for laughs with loud, jarring pratfalls, and silly sound effects—it could have worked if it played by the rules of that structure, but the timing is way off, and there’s no tension. Basically, instead of finding suspense or humor in the moment, it simply left the audience wondering if what they were watching was a parody of a parody.
Alternative Better To Watch
Better provided to the viewer than watching Almost Cops for 90 minutes on Netflix are:
The Nice Guys (2016) – witty, action-packed, and full of chemistry
Murderville – meta-comedy, playing brilliantly with detective tropes
Game Night – filled with the charm of action and comedy
Final Verdict: Comedy That Forgot the Punchline
Almost Cops had the potential to become Netflix’s next cult comedy. On account of premise alone, opposite law enforcers battling crime in small-town America is full of potential for laughter and drama. Yet with bad writing, uneven direction, and absolutely no chemistry between the leads, the show is somehow forced into middling fare.
FAQs
1. Are Almost Cops based on a true story?
No. It is a fictional, original Netflix film with no ties to real events.
2. Who stars in Almost Cops?
The film is filled with second-rung actors with no A-list big name to push it to buzz.
3. Are there any plans for a sequel?
No official word on a sequel, highly unlikely considering the poor response it received.
4. Why is Almost Cops getting such bad reviews?
Almost all criticisms concern the plot, very poor character development, and unfunny humor.