End of Watch

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End of Watch

R

Released Sep 21, 2012

1h 49m

Crime

Drama

Action

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

179 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Longtime LAPD partners and friends, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) patrol one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Though they may bend the rules, their honor and dedication to the job are unquestioned. Taylor and Zavala always have each other's back, even if Taylor's surreptitious filming of their daily activities for a college course is a bit ill-advised. All hell breaks loose for the officers when they run afoul of a vicious Mexican cartel.

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Critics Consensus

End of Watch has the energy, devotion to characters, and charismatic performances to overcome the familiar pitfalls of its genre and handheld format.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

This abrasive and brilliant Los Angeles cop drama contains two exceptional male-lead performances.

Feb 27, 2023

Full Review

Francesca Steele

Independent (UK)

This is the thinking man's action movie, a cop flick that takes us off the beaten track. Above all, though, it is a bromance.

Aug 11, 2017

Full Review

Bilge Ebiri

New York Magazine/Vulture

Ayer and his cast appear to have so convincingly nailed the way these characters talk and act that you might not even notice the film slipping from workaday grit into out-and-out myth.

Jan 8, 2013

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Though Ayer’s screenplay resorts to some of the clichés we associate with the genre, the performances are so strong that we hardly care.

Rated: 3/4

Sep 25, 2022

Full Review

Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

There are countless buddy-cop action movies, but this one really is a bit different.

Apr 8, 2021

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

With throat-grabbing immediacy, giddily frenetic cop thriller End of Watch thrusts you into the front seat of an LA patrol car.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 17, 2020

Full Review

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Priscilla S

This is an amazing movie that kept me on the edge and also a great reality check of what these heroes go through. 10/10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/25

Full Review

Audience Member

Loved the cinematography. Fast paced, riveting, emotional, and good story

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/15/25

Full Review

Calvin T

Damn for a POV cop movie..,,that was top-notch ✌🏾

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/12/25

Full Review

Ian S

Fairly straightforward cop drama but well directed. The acting by Gyllenhaal and Pena was the real strength of the movie.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/09/25

Full Review

Jeremiah J

You have to love even these “pro-critics” have to praise a cop action/drama but sneak in little shots at the movie because they can’t completely love something or they wouldn’t be respected by other critics or people who just don’t like cops. This movie is as real as it can possibly get from Hollywood. Take it from someone who comes from a long line of family on the job in three cities including yours truly. This movie goes above and beyond trying to show the things that most people don’t know and don’t want to know about law enforcement. They are often good men and women. They put their lives at risk every time they put on that uniform and even when they don’t. They don’t have the choice to run and they are doing it to protect and serve. This movie is well worth your time and if you miss it then you have truly missed something special.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/04/25

Full Review

prawnda s

an unintentionally good (if a bit silly) copaganda film, despite the genre being pretty awful. i'm not usually a huge fan of michael pena, but he does a great job here and keeps a straight face as much as is needed for the subject matter. david harbour also does a decent job but i wouldnt have remembered who he was without stranger things, and gyllenhaal puts on a dedicated performance per usual. the ending could have amounted to a little more, and a lot of this last sequence with the huge parade of cop cars felt pro LAPD instead of pro justice. without spoilers, i will say that the movie would be immensely better if it simply ended in that alleyway.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

Full Review

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David Ayer

Director

Jake Gyllenhaal

Brian Taylor

Michael Peña

Mike Zavala

Natalie Martinez

Gabby

Anna Kendrick

Janet

David Harbour

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Synopsis

Longtime LAPD partners and friends, Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña) patrol one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Though they may bend the rules, their honor and dedication to the job are unquestioned. Taylor and Zavala always have each other's back, even if Taylor's surreptitious filming of their daily activities for a college course is a bit ill-advised. All hell breaks loose for the officers when they run afoul of a vicious Mexican cartel.

Director: David Ayer
Producer: John Lesher, David Ayer, Nigel Sinclair, Matt Jackson
Screenwriter: David Ayer
Distributor: Open Road
Production Co: Le Grisbi
Rating: R (Sexual References|Pervasive Language|Some Disturbing Images|Some Drug Use|Strong Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Action
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 21, 2012, Wide
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 7, 2012
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 10, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $41.0M
Runtime: 1h 49m

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