End of Watch

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End of Watch

R

2012

1h 49m

Crime

Drama

Action

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Watchlist

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

The Times (UK)

02/27/2023

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

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Francesca Steele

Independent (UK)

08/11/2017

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.

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Bilge Ebiri

New York Magazine/Vulture

01/08/2013

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.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/25/2022

3/4

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

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Charlotte Harrison

Charlotte Sometimes Goes to the Movies

04/08/2021

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

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Jason Best

Movie Talk

12/17/2020

3/5

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

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Sara S

Nov 25

Really solid performances, and really solid cinematography with a heavy punch...there are very few movies we see lately that have actual stakes...

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Tim M.

@TLM81 Nov 23

Fantastic movie - Highly recommend

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Brian D

Nov 12

82%/ 11/10/25. Always enjoy an LA based cop film. Cool the way it's shot with Jake's character filming and their body cam footage. They patrol a rough area in South Central LA and slowly leave a mark, eventually with the Mexican cartel. One of the black guys they have a funny wrestling match with earlier in the film tells them that they are marked men but they downplay it and say all cops are marked. But the cartel set them up. Super sad and crazy ending. Love the bond that Jake and Pena's characters form on duty and off. Underrated cast. Was surprised to see Anna Kendrick in it. 4/5 rewatch.

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Jalvzz ..

@jalvzz Nov 3

Classic Los Angeles drama

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Aidan S

Oct 31

End of watch was an emotion provoking gem that flew under the radar of major accomplishment. The "Found Film" style and realistic interaction between the leads made it feel like you were watching an at home movie of your friends. End of watch continues to be on of my favorite Gyllenhaal films and I recommend it to everyone.

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Ian R

Oct 23

Great film. Pena stands out along with Gyllenhaal as two uniformed cops in Los Angeles. They get marked by Latino organised crime. The excellent acting and quiet storyline reveal a strong bond between the two cops and delineates the evil of gang culture. One of the better cop movies in many years. Frank Grillo deserves mention. He doesn't quite steal every scene, but he sure has some charisma.

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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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