[yasr_overall_rating]
An uptight and by-the-book cop tries to protect the outgoing widow of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen.
When the film began I wasn’t sure of the direction it was headed as Officer Cooper (Reese Witherspoon), in plain clothes, was chasing a previous date who had left his wallet while trying to get away from her intense nature that was previously displayed and apparently scarred him for life. In the next scene, she was being chased down to pay the restaurant bill that was left behind. When the following scenes revealed there was yet another chase with higher stakes, I finally realized that the entire film was going to be about intense people running after each other for ridiculous reasons.
Officer Cooper’s life seemingly takes a turn for the better as she receives an assignment from Captain Emmett (John Carroll Lynch) that will put her back on the charts after a public embarrassment where the phrase “the cooper” was coined after an incident where she confused the term, “riding shotgun” with riding with a shotgun and responded with an unauthorized shootout of teens. Captain Emmett, a well-respected mentor and friend of Cooper’s late father, gives her a second chance with the opportunity to protect the wife of a notorious cartel member who is in the witness protection program.
When Cooper and Daniella Riva (Sofía Vergara) meet up, they immediately clash over priorities, but are forced to unite when Daniella’s husband, Felipe Riva (Vincent Lavesca) and Cooper’s partner, Detective Jackson (Richard T. Jones) are killed in a shootout by another team of ruthless criminals who show up at the Riva household unbeknownst to each other. Once they establish a getaway plan, they begin a love-hate, Thelma and Louise relationship, as they travel the back roads of Louisiana with Daniella wearing high heels and dragging a suitcase, while Cooper tries to remain stoic and uncompromising to the code of police ethics.
After several twists and turns, Cooper’s goal of protecting Daniella and catching a high-profile criminal is finally achieved. The only saving grace in this film is a bit of humor here and there, and of course credit should be given to the fantastic dresses that Daniella wore, which helped me get through the entire film without being totally disgusted over a sheer waste of time and talent. Thank goodness Director Anne Fletcher has other good films to her credit.
In theaters May 8th
