End of Watch

End of Watch

Ahead of the World Cup 2006 in Germany was the bad word of the "no-go areas" around and shooed the full of anticipation for the big event panting Republic. Former government spokesman Uwe-Karsten Heye fabled even bluntly of areas in Brandenburg whose visit he could recommend any people with different skin color, because maybe they would not these places out alive. The fact that such crude warnings proved to be absurd and the nation instead of the whole world celebrated the famous fairytale summer, is known. However, the phenomenon of no-go areas far from everywhere just a fantasy pompous politicians. Whoever about lost as Los Angeles-Travel at night on the streets of South Central LA is, look around yourself. Here rule the street gangs; the murder rate is eight times higher stand than in the already rich country average and the lawmen fighting a losing battle. How this works in practice, turned director David Ayer shows in his in found-footage style, enthralling-realistic cop drama "End of Watch." He describes the everyday life of two simple street cops who fight a constant battle with the gangs.

The two police officers Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Pena) are at home on the streets of South Central Los Angeles and lay a strong self-confidence to the day fearlessly they confront the all-dominant response and cannot by its members intimidating - because in its belief they make all the difference: between good and evil, and even between life and death. They drag in the service also always around a small camera with him, which they hold anything that comes in front of the lens. Well as by their arms two suspects die, they can stop the brief. Your experienced colleague Van Hauser (David Harbour) sees it all very skeptical and warns his young fellow from too much mischief, but will not be heard. Taylor especially is a macho who sticks his nose in matters that he had passed on to the detective’s better drug Dezernats. When the two streets Cops detect a connection to a Mexican drug cartel that wants to settle in Los Angeles, the nights in South Central LA are still uncomfortable.

End of Watch

--> David Ayer is a police drama specialist and knows his way around in the cop-underworld of Los Angeles. As a youth he was by his parents simply put out the door, and then he moved in with a cousin in LA and made his way alone. He developed a passion for police work and researched intensively with the Los Angeles Police Department, these impressions and experiences later led to the screenplays for "Training Day," "Dark Blue" and "SWAT". Even as he moved to the director's chair remained, Ayer police loyal to the materials and the City of Angels. So after "Harsh Times" and "Street Kings" and his third directorial effort, "End Of Watch" is reintroduced in the same California cop microcosm.

In each thematic continuity Ayer found in his works always new and different aspects of police work and its cinematic representation. "End Of Watch" he now creates a pseudo-documentary - as a kind of cop-drama version of "The Blair Witch Project" on the streets of South Central LA look to what is happening is mostly from the perspective of the small hand-held camera by cop Brian Taylor it outweigh rigid attitudes and almost monochrome images. A typically found-footage films Handheld-wagging hand holding cameras here but with a few exceptions in the limits, Ayer makes almost always sufficient overview. Is in doubt, even more important than the purist adherence to the formal premise: it keeps the perspective not consistent and sometimes delivers images that cannot be from a source in the film. He also mixed the footage of Brian and Mike with images from fixed cameras in the police car for the two cops - and the gang members maintain a distinct passion for home videos. Thus we see sometimes, what happens when the crooks to mess with slopes and wrongdoing with the digicam.

Even the choice of found-footage approach indicates that David Ayer appreciates an impression of quasi documentary realism: The sometimes mindless policing the small street Cops is as lifelike as possible act. But not only has the look suggested lives nearby, also in the figure drawing is not glossed over. How it works "End Of Watch" primarily as a precise character study of two men who do not even really likable. But that does ultimately only fascinating, partly because Ayer the monotony that characterizes their daily lives, not just hide. He waived (initially at least) to dramatic escalations and taking time for the routine of work and also for the private lives of the protagonists, who are not only colleagues, but also best friends. A bald Jake Gyllenhaal ("Brothers," "Brokeback Mountain") indicating the full Macho, who himself for the biggest cop under the sun holds, while the quieter Michael Pena ("World Trade Center"), the rough-irascible temperament of his partner balances. With the wonderful natural Anna Kendrick ("Up in the Air") as Janet, who falls in love with the macho Taylor, then comes even that charm in the film, which otherwise lacks.

The stresses at the beginning undramatic, for a genre film actually decelerated narrative David Ayer reserves did not last long in this radical form - it almost seems like he was not quite believe his own concept on the road. This lack of consistency last fall until the finale does not really significant, but then goes on Ayer at once an action-packed showdown. Against such a big bang at the end, of course, is basically nothing wrong with, but here it stands in stark contrast to previously seen. On the home stretch of a documentary is so-sober look at everyday police work-a grimly pointed cop action film. No trace of summer fairy tale.

Conclusion: With the radically unspectacular, in mockumentary style held cop drama "End of Watch" succeeds director David Ayer a raw, unglamorous character study about the hard life and survival of two single policeman on the streets of South Central Los Angeles: realistic, bitter and yet also a bit cock-full.