It’s nice to see Quaid and Morgan playing an unlikely sleuth duo.
Here are the two mismatched buddies that either Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte or Mel Gibson and Danny Glover would appreciate in the detective genre.
Jack Quaid plays a young man named Simon McNally, who is haunted by thoughts in his head, which resulted in him attacking two cops and being institutionalized. He’s just been released, but he still looks and acts like a crazy person, especially with the twitching and eye contact he makes.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays his neighbor Ed Deerman-a former college security guard, who still tries to apprehend any muffin-stealing thieves. Even macing them if need be. Unfortunately, his former superiors no longer require his services. He even gets a $50 ticket for parking in the Campus Security space. That’s how low he has sunken.
These are the two guys who decide to play detective in “Neighborhood Watch,” a cynical, but affective movie that has more interest and appeal than the current Netflix movie “Havoc.” That film I felt was spoiled by the success of Gareth Evans’ “The Raid” with more wall-to-wall violence and less character development. This movie has better intentions with less wall-to-wall violence and more character development.
The plot begins when Simon believes he has witnessed a kidnapping, but for obvious reasons, the police refuse to believe him. Not even Detective Glover (Cecile Cubilo). So, his only hope is to turn to Ed for help. He wants nothing to do with this crazy kid, but he comes around and he’s able to help fit whatever missing piece is in this puzzle.
We also get some charming supporting work from Malin Akerman as Simon’s older sister DeeDee, who is struggling to make ends meet, but ends up in the middle of their game of detective.
The cynicism I’m referring to is when Simon has to deal with his thoughts and how the people around him still think he’s unfit to be readjusted into society. And believe me, him getting accused of being the bad guy is just as tedious as how Quaid’s other character had to deal with them in “Novocaine.” But what makes both “Neighborhood Watch” and “Novocaine” work are their versatilities. And speaking about “Neighborhood Watch,” Quaid and Morgan both deliver the goods with some attitude and consistency. They’re both following the unlikely duo tradition, and there’s no way in Hell a retired security guard would collaborate with a mentally unstable man, but this guy would.
We also get a little “Pulp Fiction” in the mix when we get a diner scene where Ed loves his milkshakes. And we have to thank his loyalty card for that. And parts of the second half feel like a “Dirty Harry” sequel, especially when they take place at night and when the film isn’t overly commercialized. It’s all based on how the film uses its tone, and director Duncan Skiles (“The Clovehitch Killer”) and writer Sean Farley (in his movie debut) both bring it altogether.
“Neighborhood Watch” is on a smaller scale without indulgence or self-congratulatory, just Quaid and Morgan reflecting on the good old days of unlikely duos taking matters in their own hands. There are times when commercial films think that one-liners and bickering are what makes the genre work (and “Red One” thought that would work and it didn’t). But this movie is released by RLJE Films and makes better choices.
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