This police drama is more than just yet another entry into the found-footage canon. It is a superbly acted character study that focuses on the relationship of two LA cops as they go on their rounds.
Jake Gyllenhaal has been one of my favourite actors for a long while, and here he really shows how he can completely sink into a role. His performance combines humour, heart and soul, and his rapport with Michael Peña is terrific to watch.
The film does fall into the trap of ‘fount-footage fatigue’, where suddenly multiple camera angles and high aerial shots replace the initial amateurish look of the film. But this does not become too insulting to the audience’s intelligence, and the story is still excellently told.
End of Watch (2012), directed by David Ayre, is distributed in the UK by StudioCanal, Certificate 15. The film will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on 8 April 2013.
