Almost Cops Review
Director: Gonzalo Fernandez Carmona,
Date Created: 2025-07-11 18:51
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Almost Cops Review: Directed by Gonzalo Fernandez Carmona, Bad Boa’s is a Dutch action-comedy starring Jandino Asporaat as soft-hearted Community Service Officer (CSO) Ramon, who has wonderful intentions, but not much self-confidence, and Werner Kolf as the hard-nosed ex-detective Jack, who, after a tragic accident, has just been demoted. The cast also includes Florence Vos Weeda, Ferdi Stofmeel, Juliette van Ardenne and Hergün Simsek. The movie has a 100-minute running time. Set in the streets of Rotterdam, the filmfollows Ramon and Jack as they team up to catch the people responsible for the death of Ramon’s half-brother, Kevin, uncovering dark secrets along the way.
I wasn’t quite sure what to anticipate when I initially settled in to watch Netflix’s Almost Cops. I enjoy buddy cop films and simply wanted something easy and engaging, perhaps even a light-hearted diversion. I’m sad to say, however, that this film left me wishing it were better, so much so that I was let down by it. The premise of the film is far from bad, but it is handled clumsily, and hardly any of the humour lands.
Almost Cops Review
Let’s start with the good stuff. Some nice shots of Rotterdam streets. There are a few scenes — including one in which an electric bike chases a go-kart — that are creative and some well-executed stunt work. And I have to say: Jandino Asporaat leaves a kind of likeable impression as Ramon, at least during the first half. His character arc, from fumbling officer to someone with some sort of spine, trying to stand up and take action, was one of the only reasons I kept watching. Werner Kolf, playing Jack, is harder, but his scenes dealing with the loss of his partner have a restrained, contained emotion.
But for a film that promises to be an action-comedy, the comedy is of the sucks variety. Most of the jokes feel forced or exhausting. The acting, especially Ramon, feels like it has been based on loud and melodramatic. I understand the film’s trying to parody American cop films and all, but it reads more fake than sly homage. If you’ve watched Hollywood movies like Let’s Be Cops or Ride Along, you’ll be left thinking you’re watching a cheap imitation of those, but one that doesn’t pack the same wallop.
The second problem is the tone. At first, we have a screwball comedy, goofy situations, and absurd costumes. But roughly halfway through, the tone is changed to seriousness, tackling corruption, death and moral issues with the police system. I like the filmmakers’ efforts to add more depth, but the shift is so sudden that it’s disconcerting. The drama and the comedy are not always balanced. We’re cracking jokes one moment, and then we’re being serious about a dramatic scene the next. It didn’t work for me.
The premise is very straightforward and cliched, two ill-matched cops teaming up to crack a murder, but it can be fun if handled properly. But in Almost Cops movie, the script feels rushed. Supporting actors, such as the other CSO co-workers, have little space to sparkle. There’s even a bumbling romance that appears out of nowhere and disappears just as unexpectedly. The investigation itself isn’t really all that clever or suspenseful; it’s more a series of random breakthroughs leading the characters to the next clue, and there’s little real sense of urgency or peril.
The only part in this Dutch movie Almost Cops succeeded was the gags in scenes with dialogue. There is a little bit of work with props and background motions to enliven some of the dialogue. And I did laugh occasionally, particularly at the character of Stephanie van Eer, who delivers wacky conspiracy theories straight. But these are rare.
What I was more curious about was how the movie is attempting to address police culture and social accountability. It is reiterating the notion that officers such as Ramon and Jack need to question themselves as to why they ever wanted to wear that badge. That is a relevant message, and one that I wish the movie had taken more seriously, rather than burying it under shaky attempts at humour and over-the-top characters.
By the time Almost Cops film reached its massive final confrontation, I had already reached the point where I didn’t care what happened. The dramatic scenes fell flat, partly because the direction and editing were clumsy. The finale attempts to wrap everything up in a neat bow, but it fails; it was obviously afterwards.
Netflix Almost Cops Review: Summing Up
It’s not an unmitigated disaster; there are some lovely and creative moments, but overall, it’s a skippable entry into the buddy cop genre. But if you are someone who likes silly comedies of mayhem. And if you’re wondering what a Dutch action-comedy looks like, this could be a fun one-off viewing.
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