John Michael McDonagh was rapidly becoming one of my favourite new directors. The Guard (2011) was really enjoyable, and two years ago I loved Cavalry. War on Everyone is his first American film, and whilst it features a lot of his usual deadpan humour, it has to be said, it is a bit of a mess.
Michael Pena and Alexander Skarsgard play two cops – Terry and Bob – who aptly could be described as a couple of likely lads! Saying that they bend the rules is an understatement. The plot follows their efforts to catch a gang who are planning and then carry out a robbery, so that they can keep the money for themselves. The interaction between Pena and Skarsgard provides most of the laughs and there are a number of funny moments.
However, it is wildly uneven in its tone and it is a film that doesn’t flow. It feels like it is a series of scenes tacked together, with a child abuse plotline distastefully tacked on towards the end. The storyline involving Terry and his girlfriend Jackie (Tessa Thompson) really feels like it comes from a different film entirely. Additionally, for the second time in less than a year – after his hideous turn in John Boorman’s Queen and Country – Caleb Landy Jones gives a toe curlingly bad performance as one of the bad guys.
Better performances come from Theo James as the aristocratic villain and especially Paul Reiser as the exasperated boss. His character is admittedly a bit of a cliché but Reiser delivers his funny lines with relish. Another highlight is the soundtrack – a mixture of 1970s cop show instrumental riffs and Glen Campbell songs.
Ultimately, it feels like McDonagh was given too much of a free rein and whilst there are enough good parts to make the film watchable, it is a frustrating affair.
Rating: 5.5 out of 10