Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson star as hapless armored truck driversunwittingly involved in a duplicitous schemer’s heist inThe Pickup, a film that elicits a few chuckles but is weakened by its stars' strained chemistry. Although they make little sense in context, the chase scenes do check the requisite bullets-and-explosions boxes of a modern action-comedy; however, gaping plot holes and plodding exposition push the limits of suspension of disbelief.Factor in Keke Palmer, Andrew Dice Clay andEva Longoria utterly wastedin a supporting role, and it all adds up to a forgettable experience that should have been better, given the talent involved.
In Atlantic City, New Jersey,Travis Stolly (Davidson), a wannabe cop and recent hire at Guardian Armored Transport Services, bungles a meeting at a bank counter with a beautiful woman as he mistakes her interest for a robbery. Zoe (Palmer) forgives his ineptitude, and sparks begin to fly. The following morning at 4 AM, Russell Pierce (Murphy), a longtime Guardian employee, kisses his wife Natalie (Longoria) goodbye on their 25th wedding anniversary. He promises to meet her later for dinner without a clue what lies ahead.
Heist Hijinks Falter
The Pickup
Russell is furious to learn thatClark (Clay), the Guardian depot’s abrasive manager, has assigned Travis to be his partner for the day. Travis is overjoyed after his night with Zoe, but Russell, who considers the newbie unprofessional, couldn’t care less about his post-coital bliss. After collecting money from various establishments, the two head out onto a highway stretch where they’ll be incommunicado with headquarters. Soon, Russell notices that two cars are boxing them in as Travis yaps away.
The idea that an armored truck could be completely cut off from communication in a remote area without some kind of security backup is ludicrous.The Pickuphinges on acceptance of this key plot point, or everything falls apart — and so, ridiculous or not, you just have to roll with the premise. This is the first of multiple twists that take the narrative in unexpected directions, with veterandirector Tim Story (Barbershop, Fantastic Four, Ride Alongfranchise)hoping the wacky turns are funny enough to make up for how unbelievable they are.
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The Pickupflips the script with Murphy playing the straight man.Davidson is pretty much a useful idiot, blindly setting a trap with his escalating buffoonery. Their back and forth admittedly gets a few laughs, but the duo’s chemistry runs out of steam after the first act. This is quite puzzling: How could one of the greatest comedians of all time and a relatively amusing young upstart, bothSaturday Night Livealumni with proven improv capabilities, be left grasping at straws? Were these mismatched leads unable to better the written material, or did Story miscalculate their chemistry on set?
Jerry Seinfeld famously chose a Porsche Carrera GT to embody Murphyduring their episode ofComedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Story needed to put that Porsche into high gear. Russell purely reacting to Travis' juvenile antics isn’t the best use of Murphy’s skills — his character is too restrained, playing the senior guard who does everything by the book. It’s a missed opportunity to let Murphy do what he does best, which is puzzling given the setup. This also applies to Clay as Clark; despite much less screen time, he’s not funny at all, and that’s disappointing.
Reluctant Accomplices
The attempt at romance between Davidson and Palmer also falls flat. Zoe playing the smitten Travis like a fiddle works in the opening scenes, but what happens next doesn’t have the impact it should. Davidson and Palmer don’t appear on screen together enough to establish a palpable connection. Again, Story wants the audience to buy their burgeoning relationship even though they’re not clicking. A more interesting approach would have seen Travis taking umbrage at being used and manipulated. Then maybe Zoe could have exhibited some guilt, followed by a heartfelt reconciliation. Instead, Travis stays wrapped around her finger like a toy to be abused at will.
The Pickup’sbudget does show up on screen in a handful of slick action scenes.The armored truck fending off attacking cars on a desolate highway looks good, for example, with decent stunts as Russell gets creative about finding weaponry. Travis is inept in every way except his driving, which is mentioned repeatedly as the only test he didn’t fail in the police exam. Story’s experience with big action set pieces shows inThe Pickup.They’re the highlight of the film, when the spotlight should have been on the performers.
The Pickupis a production of MGM, The Story Company, Davis Entertainment and Eddie Murphy Productions. It premieres August 6th exclusively on Prime Video. you’re able to watch ithere.
