When I was nine years old, I saw a movie calledCop and a HalfstarringBurt Reynoldsas a cop who teams up with a young black boy (Norman D. Golden II) to solve a murder. It’s a better movie than you probably remember, and one I liked quite a bit as a kid.Michael Dowse’s new Netflix movieCoffee & Kareemis cut from the same crime comedy cloth, but its target audience is decidedly different.Cop and a Halfwas rated PG and aimed at families, whereasCoffee & Kareemis very much an R-rated affair, for better and worse. At just over 80 minutes, it’s worth a look for those desperately seeking a few laughs in these dark times – just keep your expectations in check, because high comedy this is not.
Ed Helmsstars as James Coffee, a middling police officer who’s in love with his girlfriend, Vanessa Manning (Taraji P. Henson). Vanessa is a single mother whose 12-year-old son Kareem (Terrence Little Gardenhigh) is a foul-mouthed class clown who’s more concerned with getting laughs than good grades. When Kareem accidentally sees Officer Coffee having sex with his mother, he sets out to ruin their relationship. A friend puts Kareem in touch with some dangerous drug dealers he hopes can take of Coffee, but when Kareem witnesses them murder a cop, he and Coffee are forced to go on the run from both the dealers and the law.
With films likeStuberandGoonon his resume, Dowse has proven himself an above-average action-comedy director, and he does what he can to liven up the major set pieces here, though it’s clear that the film was made on a modest budget. But you’re likely not watching forJohn Wick-level shootouts or cool car chases or grand explosions. The reason you watch a movie likeCoffee & Kareemis for a few laughs, and on that front, the film mostly delivers, though as withCop and a Half, it’ll likely play better the younger you are.
The screenplay from newcomer Shane Mack boasts a few really funny lines, including one aboutTyler Perrymovies and another aboutGlenn Close, and there are some clever sight gags as well, such as when the chubby Kareem stuffs an entire plate of cornbread into his backpack, just in case, since he doesn’t know how long they’ll be on the run for. The film also gets decent mileage out of the racial disparity betweenCoffee and Kareem, as the young boy is suspicious of white people – especially cops. On the other hand, there are an awful lot of juvenile dick jokes, and Kareem’s wiseass shtick can only go so far before becoming obnoxious.
Helms is a strong fit for this kind of role, but this isn’t theCop and a Halfdynamic. He’s not gruff and tough like Burt Reynolds. Coffee is one of those nice guys who always manage to finish last. He wants to win over Kareem and prove to the boy that he loves his mother, and when push comes to shove, Coffee is willing to lay his life on the line to be part of their family. In addition to playing hopeful stepdad well, Helms also makes for a good punching bag among his fellow officers. Meanwhile, Gardenhigh acquits himself nicely in his first feature, conveying Kareem’s insecurity beneath his bravado, and subtly selling the inevitable moment when Kareem begins to care about Coffee.
The supporting cast includesBetty Gilpinas Helms' ruthless rival in the department, andDavid Alan Grier(wasted in a small role) as their commanding officer, whileRonReaco LeeandAndrew Bachelorplay the dealers, with Bachelor a clear standout among that quartet. Henson does what she can, but the script is literally thin, which helps the film’s pacing to the detriment of its character development, and it’s Vanessa that suffers the most in that regard.
